Women-friendly policies in state based health insurance marketplaces

At total of 15 states, plus the District of Columbia, have created their own state insurance marketplaces under the authority of the Affordable Care Act. In these states, women’s health advocates have been able to achieve the adoption of a number of “women and reproductive health-friendly” marketplace policies and procedures. The presenter, who has been active in influencing development of New York’s state-based marketplace, will report on model policies and procedures adopted there and in several other progressive or moderate states.  She will list and describe these best practices, such as active marketplace engagement of women’s health stakeholders, adoption of non-discrimination policies, selection of “benchmark” health plans that include abortion coverage and use of ‘women-friendly” enrollment procedures.  Session participants will learn strategies for seeking adoption of these model policies in their states.  The presentation will also identify strategies to address new women’s health issues that are emerging in state-based and federal/state partnership marketplaces. Examples include insurance plan provider networks that do not include enough reproductive health providers and confidentiality issues for young adults using reproductive health services while covered as dependents on family health plans.