ACOG welcomes over 600 attendees to white coat Capitol Hill

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ 36th annual Congressional Leadership Conference was held in Washington March 11-13 with the theme “Facts are important: Women’s health is no exception.”

Approximately 630 fellows, junior fellows, and medical students attended, with 50% of those present being junior fellows. Another 50% were at the CLC for the first time. Forty-nine states were represented. There were a total of 359 meetings with members of Congress, including senators and representatives.

The first day and a half was spent learning about advocacy and current women’s health issues that should be addressed by Congress. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.) discussed her cosponsorship of the House bill, H.R. 1318, the “Preventing Maternal Deaths Act.” The bill authorizes the CDC to provide $7 million annually for grants to states for Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRC) in order to create, expand, or support a committee that will collect data so the causes of maternal mortality can be determined and reviewed in each state.

One of the two “asks” for the CLC attendees was to discuss maternal mortality and ask their representatives to cosponsor H.R. 1318 and their senators to cosponsor S. 1112, the “Maternal Health Accountability Act.”

With more women dying from pregnancy complications in the United States than any other developed country, maternal mortality needs to be assessed. Currently 33 states have MMRC while 11 states and the District of Columbia are in the process of establishing the committee.

The rate of maternal mortality has increased from 18.8 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2000 to 23.8 per 100,000 in 2014. African American women are three to four times more likely than non-Hispanic white women to die of pregnancy-related or associated complications in the United States. Causes of maternal death include preeclampsia, hemorrhage, overdosage, and suicide with the leading cause varying from one state to the next.

Sara Rosenbaum, professor of health law and policy at George Washington University, Washington, presented “Medicaid. Facts Matter to Women’s Health.” Rebekah Gee, MD, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health discussed health care from a state’s perspective.

 

These and other presenters provided facts that were used for the second ask to the senators and representatives: Medicaid is a women’s health success story. Don’t turn the clock back on women’s health. There was not a specific bill to endorse, but the goal was to endorse continued Medicaid funding for women’s health. Medicaid covers 42.6% of U.S. births and around 75% of public family planning dollars. For every $1 spent for family planning by Medicaid there is a savings of $7.09. Medicaid expansion reduced the uninsured rate among women aged 18-64 years by nearly half from 19.3% to 10.8% in 5 years.

It has been documented that girls enrolled in Medicaid as children are more likely to attend college and experience upward mobility than their peers with the same socioeconomic status who did not have Medicaid. Medicaid helps to provide financial stability and serve as the pathway to jobs for women and girls. Nearly 80% of Medicaid beneficiaries live in working families, and 60% themselves work. Of those who don’t work, 36% do not work because of disability or illness, 30% care for home or family, 15% are in school, 9% are retired, and 6% could not find work. Work requirements add administrative complexity for states and women without long-term gains in employment.

Qualified providers should not be prevented from participating in Medicaid because they perform abortions or provide counseling or refer patients for abortion. Politicians should not select among qualified providers at the expense of women’s access to care. Very often, there are no other providers who can fill the gap, leaving low-income women without access to care.

Willie Parker, MD, addressed reproductive rights and access to care at the President’s Luncheon.

 

Prior to the Hill visits, attendees were given advice by fellow physicians, Rep. Ami Bera, MD (D-Calif.), and Rep. Raul Ruiz, MD (D-Calif.).

As stated by ACOG President Haywood Brown, MD, “This is a critical moment in our nation’s history. People are engaging like we haven’t seen in our lifetime, and politicians are paying attention. Advocacy efforts around the country are already creating change, in policy and in elections. ... Let’s remind America of what ob.gyns. know best: Facts are important. Women’s health is no exception.”

Dr. Bohon is an ob.gyn. in private practice in Washington. She is an ACOG state legislative chair from the District of Columbia and a member of the Ob.Gyn. News Editorial Advisory Board. She reported having no relevant financial disclosures. Dr. Cuff of the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, is the current chair of the Junior Fellow Congress Advisory Council of ACOG.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ 36th annual Congressional Leadership Conference was held in Washington March 11-13 with the theme “Facts are important: Women’s health is no exception.”

Approximately 630 fellows, junior fellows, and medical students attended, with 50% of those present being junior fellows. Another 50% were at the CLC for the first time. Forty-nine states were represented. There were a total of 359 meetings with members of Congress, including senators and representatives.

The first day and a half was spent learning about advocacy and current women’s health issues that should be addressed by Congress. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.) discussed her cosponsorship of the House bill, H.R. 1318, the “Preventing Maternal Deaths Act.” The bill authorizes the CDC to provide $7 million annually for grants to states for Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRC) in order to create, expand, or support a committee that will collect data so the causes of maternal mortality can be determined and reviewed in each state.

One of the two “asks” for the CLC attendees was to discuss maternal mortality and ask their representatives to cosponsor H.R. 1318 and their senators to cosponsor S. 1112, the “Maternal Health Accountability Act.”

With more women dying from pregnancy complications in the United States than any other developed country, maternal mortality needs to be assessed. Currently 33 states have MMRC while 11 states and the District of Columbia are in the process of establishing the committee.

The rate of maternal mortality has increased from 18.8 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2000 to 23.8 per 100,000 in 2014. African American women are three to four times more likely than non-Hispanic white women to die of pregnancy-related or associated complications in the United States. Causes of maternal death include preeclampsia, hemorrhage, overdosage, and suicide with the leading cause varying from one state to the next.

Sara Rosenbaum, professor of health law and policy at George Washington University, Washington, presented “Medicaid. Facts Matter to Women’s Health.” Rebekah Gee, MD, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health discussed health care from a state’s perspective.

 

These and other presenters provided facts that were used for the second ask to the senators and representatives: Medicaid is a women’s health success story. Don’t turn the clock back on women’s health. There was not a specific bill to endorse, but the goal was to endorse continued Medicaid funding for women’s health. Medicaid covers 42.6% of U.S. births and around 75% of public family planning dollars. For every $1 spent for family planning by Medicaid there is a savings of $7.09. Medicaid expansion reduced the uninsured rate among women aged 18-64 years by nearly half from 19.3% to 10.8% in 5 years.

It has been documented that girls enrolled in Medicaid as children are more likely to attend college and experience upward mobility than their peers with the same socioeconomic status who did not have Medicaid. Medicaid helps to provide financial stability and serve as the pathway to jobs for women and girls. Nearly 80% of Medicaid beneficiaries live in working families, and 60% themselves work. Of those who don’t work, 36% do not work because of disability or illness, 30% care for home or family, 15% are in school, 9% are retired, and 6% could not find work. Work requirements add administrative complexity for states and women without long-term gains in employment.

Qualified providers should not be prevented from participating in Medicaid because they perform abortions or provide counseling or refer patients for abortion. Politicians should not select among qualified providers at the expense of women’s access to care. Very often, there are no other providers who can fill the gap, leaving low-income women without access to care.

Willie Parker, MD, addressed reproductive rights and access to care at the President’s Luncheon.

 

Prior to the Hill visits, attendees were given advice by fellow physicians, Rep. Ami Bera, MD (D-Calif.), and Rep. Raul Ruiz, MD (D-Calif.).

As stated by ACOG President Haywood Brown, MD, “This is a critical moment in our nation’s history. People are engaging like we haven’t seen in our lifetime, and politicians are paying attention. Advocacy efforts around the country are already creating change, in policy and in elections. ... Let’s remind America of what ob.gyns. know best: Facts are important. Women’s health is no exception.”

Dr. Bohon is an ob.gyn. in private practice in Washington. She is an ACOG state legislative chair from the District of Columbia and a member of the Ob.Gyn. News Editorial Advisory Board. She reported having no relevant financial disclosures. Dr. Cuff of the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, is the current chair of the Junior Fellow Congress Advisory Council of ACOG.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ 36th annual Congressional Leadership Conference was held in Washington March 11-13 with the theme “Facts are important: Women’s health is no exception.”

Approximately 630 fellows, junior fellows, and medical students attended, with 50% of those present being junior fellows. Another 50% were at the CLC for the first time. Forty-nine states were represented. There were a total of 359 meetings with members of Congress, including senators and representatives.

The first day and a half was spent learning about advocacy and current women’s health issues that should be addressed by Congress. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.) discussed her cosponsorship of the House bill, H.R. 1318, the “Preventing Maternal Deaths Act.” The bill authorizes the CDC to provide $7 million annually for grants to states for Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRC) in order to create, expand, or support a committee that will collect data so the causes of maternal mortality can be determined and reviewed in each state.

One of the two “asks” for the CLC attendees was to discuss maternal mortality and ask their representatives to cosponsor H.R. 1318 and their senators to cosponsor S. 1112, the “Maternal Health Accountability Act.”

With more women dying from pregnancy complications in the United States than any other developed country, maternal mortality needs to be assessed. Currently 33 states have MMRC while 11 states and the District of Columbia are in the process of establishing the committee.

The rate of maternal mortality has increased from 18.8 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2000 to 23.8 per 100,000 in 2014. African American women are three to four times more likely than non-Hispanic white women to die of pregnancy-related or associated complications in the United States. Causes of maternal death include preeclampsia, hemorrhage, overdosage, and suicide with the leading cause varying from one state to the next.

Sara Rosenbaum, professor of health law and policy at George Washington University, Washington, presented “Medicaid. Facts Matter to Women’s Health.” Rebekah Gee, MD, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health discussed health care from a state’s perspective.

 

These and other presenters provided facts that were used for the second ask to the senators and representatives: Medicaid is a women’s health success story. Don’t turn the clock back on women’s health. There was not a specific bill to endorse, but the goal was to endorse continued Medicaid funding for women’s health. Medicaid covers 42.6% of U.S. births and around 75% of public family planning dollars. For every $1 spent for family planning by Medicaid there is a savings of $7.09. Medicaid expansion reduced the uninsured rate among women aged 18-64 years by nearly half from 19.3% to 10.8% in 5 years.

It has been documented that girls enrolled in Medicaid as children are more likely to attend college and experience upward mobility than their peers with the same socioeconomic status who did not have Medicaid. Medicaid helps to provide financial stability and serve as the pathway to jobs for women and girls. Nearly 80% of Medicaid beneficiaries live in working families, and 60% themselves work. Of those who don’t work, 36% do not work because of disability or illness, 30% care for home or family, 15% are in school, 9% are retired, and 6% could not find work. Work requirements add administrative complexity for states and women without long-term gains in employment.

Qualified providers should not be prevented from participating in Medicaid because they perform abortions or provide counseling or refer patients for abortion. Politicians should not select among qualified providers at the expense of women’s access to care. Very often, there are no other providers who can fill the gap, leaving low-income women without access to care.

Willie Parker, MD, addressed reproductive rights and access to care at the President’s Luncheon.

 

Prior to the Hill visits, attendees were given advice by fellow physicians, Rep. Ami Bera, MD (D-Calif.), and Rep. Raul Ruiz, MD (D-Calif.).

As stated by ACOG President Haywood Brown, MD, “This is a critical moment in our nation’s history. People are engaging like we haven’t seen in our lifetime, and politicians are paying attention. Advocacy efforts around the country are already creating change, in policy and in elections. ... Let’s remind America of what ob.gyns. know best: Facts are important. Women’s health is no exception.”

Dr. Bohon is an ob.gyn. in private practice in Washington. She is an ACOG state legislative chair from the District of Columbia and a member of the Ob.Gyn. News Editorial Advisory Board. She reported having no relevant financial disclosures. Dr. Cuff of the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, is the current chair of the Junior Fellow Congress Advisory Council of ACOG.