Out of a women's health summit, women decided Universal Health Care was THE most important area to address. 

Reasons OWL joined Women Advocating and Educating - universal health care

                        Womanpower

Universal health care is an issue women know is critical.   If we organize as a group, we can be powerful                                            

                        Women have special interests - Sociology and biology

                        SOCIOLOGY                      

*             women make most health care decisions for themselves and their families

*             women, particularly,  are not well-served by employment-based insurance

                                                                                                *many women in jobs not covered

                                                                                                                         only 34% of CA women covered thru employers

                                                                                                *gaps in women's coverage

many women not in job market because of caregiving, other

                                                                                                                        75% caregivers in CA are women

*many women covered by "dependent coverage" - getting less and less frequent                                                                   

*             women in lower-paying jobs, frequently not able to BUY insurance or needed care

o           women still make $.76 to the $1.00 of men's salaries

Result: women often don't get needed care, incl. Precriptions, prevention

                        BIOLOGY         

*             women greater  needs  for medical service

o           more  medical problem areas- arthritis, auto-immune, mental health, reproductive health, mental health (more depression and anxiety)

*             38% have chronic condition (flyer)

*             maternity and baby expenses often associated with women's health

*             longevity

            women live average of 4 years longer

AGING WOMEN

*             Many issues resulting from same causes as for other women

Low paying jobs, out of job market for caretaking, same biological issues---in fact, of course, the older the more health issues

*             Middle-aged women 55-64 particularly not covered

(not true locally, but nationally)

*can't afford own care, early retirement or leaving job market;

                                                                        *provider may go on Medicare

*             Medicare - many, especially younger people, think you are "home free" when you turn 65

Over 65 , most covered by medicare

o           Some employer-based, some Medicaid

*             Medicare only covers a portion of health expenses

                        Fairly complicated system - some free with former emp.

*Some services not covered, by-ins, co-pays, deductibles,etc.

                                                *Poorer can buy less service

                        Medicare costs continue to rise, even as fixed-incomes

*             Sociology -

                        *More women than men on Medicare (57%)

                        *men and women - fixed income, but women have to live

on a smaller amount, longer

*women  average about half the income man

*2/3 of seniors with incomes between 125 and 200% of poverty level, are women

*Average  older woman who lives alone spends more on healthcare than food

*even Medicaid - poor or deplete assets, even higher percentage are women

*             new study of aging Baby boomers - Paul Hodges - Harvard Global Generations Policy Institute

*women really hurt by new moves toward  privatization and self-resonsibility

*women healthier longer but also living longer,  higher income

*worse  outcomes for those who are poor and/or have not had health care

Kathie Piccagli

kpiccagli@aol.com