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AAFP, ACP, others join forces in new effort to protect women's health

With the specifics of President Donald J. Trump’s health care plan still unclear, leaders of medical groups representing 500,000 United States physicians have sent a letter to the White House and Congressional leaders asking them to ensure women’s health is protected.

"Healthy women can better participate in our economy and our workforce, and can reach higher levels of educational attainment," the letter from the AAFP, ACP, AAP, American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and American Osteopathic Association stated. "We call on the president and the U.S. Congress to stand with us and for America's women."

The groups’ letter asks that any new laws not diminish women’s health rights when it comes to preventive, prenatal and neonatal care, and also identifies four priorities moving forward:

• retaining current benefits, including preventive care and a ban on gender rating;
• ·opposing political interference in the physician-patient relationship;
• protecting Medicaid coverage and financing; and
• ensuring that women have affordable access to evidence-based care.

The letter also states that for the past 7 years, “[the] law has guaranteed women no-copay coverage of preventive services and coverage for maternity care. It’s guaranteed that no woman will be charged more for, or denied, coverage because of her gender, because she was the victim of domestic violence, or because she had a previous C-section.” 

The letter further states that over the same 7-year stretch, Medicaid expansion in 31 states led to health care for 10 million individuals, many of them low-income families and women.

This most recent letter is in addition to another one that the AAFP, ACP, AAP and ACOG sent Congress earlier this month asking the House and Senate to ensure continued health care access.

Healio Family Medicine has previously reported on the concerns some women’s health advocates have regarding how the Trump administration will handle funding for Planned Parenthood services such as sex education and reproductive health care.

President Trump has previously stated he would reveal his plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act when his HHS Secretary nominee, Congressman Tom Price, MD,  (R-Ga.) is confirmed. The Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to meet Tuesday, Jan. 31, at 10 a.m. to consider Price’s nomination.

Disclosure: Healio Family Medicine was unable to determine relevant financial disclosures prior to publication.