On Wednesday, March 21, Louise took to the House Floor to celebrate the many gains in women's health that have been made thanks to the Affordable Care Act. Watch her speech above, or read her remarks (as prepared for delivery) below. Rep. Louise M. Slaughter One Minute - Affordable Care Act and Women March 21, 2012 M./ Speaker, Two years ago, I was honored to serve as Chairwoman of the House Committee on Rules and bring the historic Affordable Care Act to the House Floor. I stand here again today, equally proud to defend the law from an ongoing war on women. When it comes to healthcare, being a woman has long been a "pre-existing condition". For decades, women have been routinely charged more for health insurance than a man who seeks the same coverage. Did you know that if a business employs more women than men, it can choose to raise everyone's premiums to cover the higher cost of insuring women? In addition, women not only pay for standard insurance coverage; they must als! o pay a separate cost for maternity coverage. In Illinois, a 30 year-old woman must pay $278 a month for standard insurance, and an additional $270 a month for maternity coverage. Insurance companies claim that these added costs are because women are "more likely to visit doctors, get regular check ups, take prescription drugs, and have certain chronic illnesses." Everyone knows preventive care is cheaper than waiting to treat ill patients, yet insurance companies freely punish women for proactively ...
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