POWER TO DECIDE APPLAUDS CONGRESS FOR PASSING RELIEF FOR MILLIONS HARD-HIT BY THE PANDEMIC

Press release

POWER TO DECIDE APPLAUDS CONGRESS FOR PASSING RELIEF FOR MILLIONS HARD-HIT BY THE PANDEMIC

March 10, 2021

(Washington, D.C.) — Today, Congress passed H.R. 1319, The American Rescue Plan, providing economic relief including needed funding for policies and programs that will improve access to reproductive health care services to those who need it the most. Specifically, the bill includes $50 million for the Title X Family Planning Program, extends enhanced unemployment insurance, allows states to extend Medicaid eligibility to women for 12 months after giving birth, provides incentives to expand Medicaid as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) allows and provides subsidies for purchasing health insurance on the ACA marketplaces. 

In response Power to Decide CEO, Dr. Raegan McDonald-Mosley, MPH, MD, issued the following statement:

“In addition to the devastating loss of lives, the pandemic has caused millions of people to lose their jobs, insurance coverage and access to reproductive health care in ways we do not yet appreciate and will take years to address. The impact on Black and Latino communities and on people with low incomes has been disproportionately damaging. The need for relief is particularly critical for populations who were already facing barriers to reproductive health care.

“Funding for the Title X Family Planning Program will help ensure that family planning care, including birth control, is accessible for people struggling to make ends meet at a time when more people want to prevent pregnancy. In addition, incentivizing states to expand Medicaid and providing subsidies for purchasing insurance will help ensure that more people have affordable access to health care. Further, allowing states to extend Medicaid eligibility to women for 12 months after giving birth is a step in the right direction as we continue to face a maternal health crisis that disproportionately impacts Black women. 

“All people regardless of who they are or where they live should have access to reproductive health care services in order to live healthy lives. We applaud the members of Congress who voted to improve the health and well-being of millions of people.” 

Power to Decide is a private, non-partisan, non-profit organization that works to ensure all people—no matter who they are, where they live or what their economic status might be—have the power to decide if, when and under what circumstances to get pregnant or have a child. Please visit us at www.PowerToDecide.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.