December Reform Matters Conference Call Agenda

For a recording of this conference call and downloadable agenda, see below. 

CONFERENCE CALL AGENDA
Hosted by the National Women’s Law Center
December 13, 2012
3:00 pm Eastern

1. Welcome & Introductions

Introduction and review of agenda

• Dania Palanker, Senior Health Policy Advisor at the National Women’s Law Center

2. Proposed Essential Health Benefits Regulations

Proposed regulations on the Essential Health Benefits were published on November 26. 

The essential health benefits require all new plans in the individual and small group market to provide coverage of ten categories, including maternity and newborn care.  Experts from the National Women’s Law Center will walk through the proposed regulations and the impact on women’s health.

• Sharon Levin, Director of Federal Reproductive Health Policy, National Women’s Law Center
• Hillary Schneller, Equal Justice Works Fellow, National Women’s Law Center
• Dania Palanker, Senior Health Policy Advisor, National Women’s Law Center

 3. Proposed Market Reform Regulations

The proposed rule for health insurance market reforms provides important consumer protections including guaranteed issue of health insurance and fair health insurance premiums in the individual and small group markets.  These protections stop will stop plans from denying coverage to women with pre-existing conditions and would end the practices of gender rating and charging more to people when they become sick. 

•  Dania Palanker, Senior Health Policy Advisor at the National Women’s Law Center

 4. Congressional Update

The Lame Duck session has focuses strongly on the so-called fiscal cliff.  We will provide an update on the budget negotiations and the potential impact on health care programs and an overview of our new research on Medicaid and women’s jobs.

•  Karen Davenport, Director of Health Policy, National Women’s Law Center

To register for upcoming conference calls: http://action.nwlc.org/healthcarereform

To suggest future agenda topics, or make an announcement on a call, please contact us at reformmatters@nwlc.org

Materials for the Call:

Proposed Essential Health Benefits Regulations http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/2012/11/ehb11202012a.html

Proposed Market Reforms Regulations (http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/2012/11/market-reforms11202012a.html)

Job Loss: The Hidden Cost of Medicaid Cuts to Women http://www.nwlc.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/job_loss_hidden_cost_medicaid_cuts_women_data_12-7-12.pdf

Document(s):

12.13 Reform Matters Agenda

december12_refmat_recording.mp3