Health Care Reform’s Impact on Women and Families: Are Funders Ready to Make the Most of 2013?

The 2012 Presidential and State Congressional elections brought the public’s attention to the “war on women.” Politicians and the media used the term loosely in an effort to gain votes and support. Throughout the debates, we all heard politicians speak on how “Obamacare” and “the fiscal cliff” would affect the women and families in America. All of these debates occurred in disregard to the fact that men have higher unemployment rates than women; women’s wages and jobless rates vary among different demographics (i.e., by age, education and race); and access to health care has economic implications for all.

 

Now Obama has been re-elected and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has been implemented and is, more than likely, here to stay. There are major implications on how health care reform will impact grantees, community-building organizations and health care institutions. With New York State committed to leading the effort by updating programs and policies that respond to what is outlined in the ACA, funders now find themselves with the opportunity to support a new policy initiative where the programs we implement will define the outcomes of the ACA’s success across the nation. This program will address the ramifications on the ACA’s success should we fail to reckon the synergy between gender and health.

 

 

A Philanthropy New York Network Program sponsored by the Funders of Women and Girls and co-sponsored by the Health Policy Working Group.

 

 

Members interested in health, education, communities, policy, women, youth and gender.