[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 40 (Thursday, March 18, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H1628]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HEALTH REFORM AND WOMEN

  (Ms. SUTTON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, health care reform is critical to ensure 
that women have access to affordable health care. Currently, women can 
be charged higher rates simply because of their gender.
  The Joint Economic Committee has estimated that 64 million women do 
not have adequate health insurance coverage today. 1.7 million women 
have lost their health insurance coverage since the beginning of the 
economic downturn, and 39 percent of all low-income women lack health 
insurance coverage.
  Women are also more likely to deplete their savings accounts paying 
medical bills than men. The health reform legislation being considered 
by Congress will help address all of these critical issues, and more. 
It will eliminate insurance coverage discrimination based on gender, 
provide access to affordable policies to all Americans, it will prevent 
bankruptcies due to medical costs by capping out-of-pocket payments, 
and it will prohibit insurance companies from discriminating based on 
preexisting conditions, including the despicable practice of calling 
domestic violence victims preexisting conditions.
  It's time to pass this.

                          ____________________