January 23, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Renate Pore, WVAHC Director of Health Policy
renatepore@gmail.com or 304-346-8815
MorgantownTown-Hall Meetings to Educate Women about New Health Care Benefits Available Under Affordable Care Act
A town hall meeting on the Affordable Care Act and what it means to women and their families will be held Monday at 7 pm at Valley Health System in Morgantown.
This meeting highlights the important ACA benefits such as pap smears and mammography screenings, which are now being provided without deductibles or co-payments.
“Women not only have unique health care needs, they are frequently the ‘health care decider’ for their children and even their husbands,” said Renate Pore, West Virginians for Affordable Health Care’s Director of Health Policy. Pore is making the presentation at the town hall meeting.
“Educating women on the new benefits of the ACA such as preventive measures, an end to charging women a higher premium than men for the same policy, and ending pre-existing conditions discrimination, is essential given their role in making health care decisions,” said Pore.
Panelists for the town hall meeting include West Virginia Delegates Barbara Fleischauer (D-Monongalia) and Charlene Marshall (D-Monongalia). “Changing our health care system to put more emphasis on wellness and prevention is a fundamental shift. And women will be the major beneficiary from this changes,” stated Fleischauer.
“If West Virginia decides to expand our Medicaid program, tens of thousands of uninsured, low-income women will gain coverage and get health care and financial security. And the federal government will pay virtually all of the costs,” stated Marshall.
“Valley HealthCare System is pleased to host the town hall meeting on the ACA. We welcome the opportunity to partner in educational events such as this one that will assist our community, particularly women and their families, to better understand how the changes brought about by this legislation will affect their health and mental health service concerns,” said Cheryl Perone, President and CEO of Valley HealthCare System.
The Morgantown town hall meeting is the first of several being planned across the state by WVAHC. Other co-sponsors for the Morgantown town hall meeting include: American Cancer Society, Morgantown-Monongalia League of Women Voters, National Association of Social Workers, West Virginia Chapter, Partnership of African-American Churches, Planned Parenthood Health Systems, Valley HealthCare System, West Virginia AFL-CIO, West Virginia Nurses Association, and WV FREE.
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