Forum held on June 2, 2010
Understanding the experience of women under Massachusetts’ health reform model is fundamental to recognizing challenges and opportunities as the state moves toward payment and delivery system reform and implements new federal health reform laws. Women use more health services throughout their lives and face unique challenges accessing affordable care. This forum outlined the role of women’s health in health care reform, discuss the impact of health care reform on women in Massachusetts, and draw lessons for ongoing efforts in Massachusetts and the U.S. Alina Salganicoff from the Kaiser Family Foundation provided an overview of health care reform as it relates to women, followed by two panel discussions. The first panel will presented data and research on the impact of Massachusetts health reform on women’s health and health care delivery in the state. Presenters discuss key findings and identified remaining challenges and opportunities. Panelists included Sharon Long from Urban Institute; Kelly Blanchard from Ibis Reproductive Health; and Susan Sered from Suffolk University. The second panel was a roundtable discussion of implications for future health reform in Massachusetts and the U.S. Panelists included Senator Susan Fargo, Ruth Katz, Senior Health Counsel for the Energy and Commerce Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives; Nancy Turnbull from Harvard School of Public Health; and Judy Waxman from National Women's Law Center. This forum was co-sponsored by the Connors Center for Women’s Health and Gender Biology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation, Suffolk University Center for Women's Health and Human Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Region 1 (New England), Office on Women's Health, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Region I (New England), Office of the Regional Health Administrator.
Presentations