[FONT=myriad pro, tahoma, arial, sans-serif][SIZE=+1]because actions speak louder than words[/SIZE][/FONT] tell-a-friend ~ sign-up ~ donate now
ActionSpeak | April 2009
2009 Annual Luncheon on 6.15.09
Honoring Valerie Jarrett
Senior Advisor to the President
>>Additional details
>>Tickets/tables/contributions
Recent Media Coverage
~ Health Care Reform Must Focus on Patients’ Needs (AFL-CIO NOW Blog, April 21, 2009)
~ Restaurants at Center of Paid Sick Days Discussion (New Britain Herald, April 3, 2009)
~ SCHIP Renewal to Bring Care to Millions More Kids in Need (Nation’s Health, April 1, 2009)
~ Listening to Consumers on Healthcare Reform (The Hill Blog, April 1, 2009)
Press Releases
~ Health Expert Calls for Patient-Centered Approach to Reform (April 21, 2009)
~ Memorandum: What’s at Stake in Ricci v. DeStefano (April 20, 2009)
~ Work/Family Expert to Testify Before EEOC Panel on Caregiver Issues (April 17, 2009)
~ National Partnership’s Bechtel Appointed to New Health Information Technology Committee (April 4, 2009)
Daily Report Highlights
The following headlines appeared in the National Partnership's Women’s Health Policy Report.
~ CONTRACEPTION & FAMILY PLANNING | NPR Examines Barriers to Contraception, Factors That Contribute to Unintended Pregnancies (April 21, 2009)
~ NATIONAL POLITICS & POLICY | Obama Administration Issues Guidelines on Use of Embryos in Stem Cell Research (April 20, 2009)
~ STATE POLITICS & POLICY | Conservative Texas Legislators Call for Investigations of Planned Parenthood Clinics (April 16, 2009)
~ NATIONAL POLITICS & POLICY | HHS Sec. Nominee Sebelius Says She Does Not Foresee Changes to Abortion Policy (April 14, 2009)
>>Subscribe to the free Daily Women’s Health Policy Report
HEALTH | Senate Takes Step Toward Comprehensive Health Care Reform
On Tuesday, the Senate took an important step to advance comprehensive health care reform when the Finance Committee held a Roundtable discussion on health care delivery systems. It featured key stakeholders, including National Partnership President Debra Ness, who spoke on behalf of patients, women and families.
Ness discussed the urgent need for all Americans to have access to quality, affordable health care, and how a better delivery system will help achieve this goal. She stressed the need to create a health care system that will work for vulnerable patients with multiple chronic conditions and their family caregivers, adding, "If we can make the system work for them, we can make it work for everyone."
Ness said after the Roundtable:
“It is exciting that so many groups are coming together — lawmakers, consumers, providers, hospitals, employers, and health plans — with the common goal to fix our broken health care system. There is consensus that too much money is wasted, and we can do a better job. To get there, we must make the system more patient-centered. We need to re-align our payment system to reward good patient outcomes, and not just pay for procedures.
We stand at a historic crossroads: Before us lies the opportunity to fix a health care system that is beset by high costs, inefficiencies and inadequate coverage. We will not achieve meaningful reform unless we improve our health care delivery system so that more people have access to better, more affordable care and get better value for their health care dollars."
>>Watch Debra Ness’ testimony before the Senate Finance Committee.
.......................................................................
WORK/FAMILY | The Healthy Families Act Needs YOU!
Last year, you helped us build tremendous momentum for paid sick days initiatives. Now, Senator Edward Kennedy and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro are about to introduce the Healthy Families Act into the 111th Congress next month — and we need your help again. The Healthy Families Act would provide up to seven paid sick days for workers to recover from illness or to take care of a sick child.
>> We need to show our strong support. Send a loud, clear message that the time to pass this legislation is now. Urge your Senators and Representatives to co-sponsor the Healthy Families Act!
......................................................................
WORKPLACE FAIRNESS | Equal Pay Day
Tuesday, April 28, 2009 marks Equal Pay Day, the date when women’s wages will finally catch-up to men’s wages from 2008. This occurs because women in the United States are paid only 78 cents for every dollar paid to men. The gap is even greater for women of color. It’s past time that we change this injustice — we must secure fair pay for all.
>>Urge your Senators to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act
.......................................................................
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH | Update on Plan B
Victory! This week the FDA approved over-the-counter (OTC) access to Plan B emergency contraception for women 17 and over, revising its previous 18 and over restriction. Last month, we reported on the federal court decision to expand access to Plan B. The court found that the FDA broke its own rules and regulations by holding Plan B to an arbitrarily higher standard than other OTC products. Allowing 17-year-olds to access Plan B over-the-counter increases the likelihood of preventing unwanted pregnancies.
>>Learn more
.......................................................................
OF SUPREME IMPORTANCE | Frank Ricci v. John DeStefano
This week, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case that could reinforce — or cripple — the civil rights laws that for decades have helped open doors to women in the workplace. In Frank Ricci v. John DeStefano, the justices are weighing whether Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects employers who take common-sense steps to ensure equal employment opportunities for women and other protected classes.
>>Learn more
1875 connecticut avenue nw, suite 650 ~ washington, dc 20009
202.986.2600 ~ 202.986.2539 (fax) ~ info@nationalpartnership.org
update your e-mail preferences ~ unsubscribe
ActionSpeak | April 2009
Debra Ness speaking before the Senate Finance Committee Roundtable to Discuss Reforming America’s Health Care Delivery System, April 21.
The Time is Now: Shaping our Future2009 Annual Luncheon on 6.15.09
Honoring Valerie Jarrett
Senior Advisor to the President
>>Additional details
>>Tickets/tables/contributions
Recent Media Coverage
~ Health Care Reform Must Focus on Patients’ Needs (AFL-CIO NOW Blog, April 21, 2009)
~ Restaurants at Center of Paid Sick Days Discussion (New Britain Herald, April 3, 2009)
~ SCHIP Renewal to Bring Care to Millions More Kids in Need (Nation’s Health, April 1, 2009)
~ Listening to Consumers on Healthcare Reform (The Hill Blog, April 1, 2009)
Press Releases
~ Health Expert Calls for Patient-Centered Approach to Reform (April 21, 2009)
~ Memorandum: What’s at Stake in Ricci v. DeStefano (April 20, 2009)
~ Work/Family Expert to Testify Before EEOC Panel on Caregiver Issues (April 17, 2009)
~ National Partnership’s Bechtel Appointed to New Health Information Technology Committee (April 4, 2009)
Daily Report Highlights
The following headlines appeared in the National Partnership's Women’s Health Policy Report.
~ CONTRACEPTION & FAMILY PLANNING | NPR Examines Barriers to Contraception, Factors That Contribute to Unintended Pregnancies (April 21, 2009)
~ NATIONAL POLITICS & POLICY | Obama Administration Issues Guidelines on Use of Embryos in Stem Cell Research (April 20, 2009)
~ STATE POLITICS & POLICY | Conservative Texas Legislators Call for Investigations of Planned Parenthood Clinics (April 16, 2009)
~ NATIONAL POLITICS & POLICY | HHS Sec. Nominee Sebelius Says She Does Not Foresee Changes to Abortion Policy (April 14, 2009)
>>Subscribe to the free Daily Women’s Health Policy Report
HEALTH | Senate Takes Step Toward Comprehensive Health Care Reform
On Tuesday, the Senate took an important step to advance comprehensive health care reform when the Finance Committee held a Roundtable discussion on health care delivery systems. It featured key stakeholders, including National Partnership President Debra Ness, who spoke on behalf of patients, women and families.
Ness discussed the urgent need for all Americans to have access to quality, affordable health care, and how a better delivery system will help achieve this goal. She stressed the need to create a health care system that will work for vulnerable patients with multiple chronic conditions and their family caregivers, adding, "If we can make the system work for them, we can make it work for everyone."
Ness said after the Roundtable:
“It is exciting that so many groups are coming together — lawmakers, consumers, providers, hospitals, employers, and health plans — with the common goal to fix our broken health care system. There is consensus that too much money is wasted, and we can do a better job. To get there, we must make the system more patient-centered. We need to re-align our payment system to reward good patient outcomes, and not just pay for procedures.
We stand at a historic crossroads: Before us lies the opportunity to fix a health care system that is beset by high costs, inefficiencies and inadequate coverage. We will not achieve meaningful reform unless we improve our health care delivery system so that more people have access to better, more affordable care and get better value for their health care dollars."
>>Watch Debra Ness’ testimony before the Senate Finance Committee.
.......................................................................
WORK/FAMILY | The Healthy Families Act Needs YOU!
Last year, you helped us build tremendous momentum for paid sick days initiatives. Now, Senator Edward Kennedy and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro are about to introduce the Healthy Families Act into the 111th Congress next month — and we need your help again. The Healthy Families Act would provide up to seven paid sick days for workers to recover from illness or to take care of a sick child.
>> We need to show our strong support. Send a loud, clear message that the time to pass this legislation is now. Urge your Senators and Representatives to co-sponsor the Healthy Families Act!
......................................................................
WORKPLACE FAIRNESS | Equal Pay Day
Tuesday, April 28, 2009 marks Equal Pay Day, the date when women’s wages will finally catch-up to men’s wages from 2008. This occurs because women in the United States are paid only 78 cents for every dollar paid to men. The gap is even greater for women of color. It’s past time that we change this injustice — we must secure fair pay for all.
>>Urge your Senators to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act
.......................................................................
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH | Update on Plan B
Victory! This week the FDA approved over-the-counter (OTC) access to Plan B emergency contraception for women 17 and over, revising its previous 18 and over restriction. Last month, we reported on the federal court decision to expand access to Plan B. The court found that the FDA broke its own rules and regulations by holding Plan B to an arbitrarily higher standard than other OTC products. Allowing 17-year-olds to access Plan B over-the-counter increases the likelihood of preventing unwanted pregnancies.
>>Learn more
.......................................................................
OF SUPREME IMPORTANCE | Frank Ricci v. John DeStefano
This week, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case that could reinforce — or cripple — the civil rights laws that for decades have helped open doors to women in the workplace. In Frank Ricci v. John DeStefano, the justices are weighing whether Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects employers who take common-sense steps to ensure equal employment opportunities for women and other protected classes.
>>Learn more
202.986.2600 ~ 202.986.2539 (fax) ~ info@nationalpartnership.org
update your e-mail preferences ~ unsubscribe