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Single Payer Single Payer & Reproductive Rights:& Reproductive Rights:

Why can’t we all just get along?Why can’t we all just get along?

Susie Baldwin, MD, MPHSusie Baldwin, MD, MPHPNHP Los AngelesPNHP Los Angeles

PNHP California Summer ConferencePNHP California Summer ConferenceJuly 17, 2010July 17, 2010

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The Status Quo: Gender Inequities in Health & Health Care

• Women have higher rates of poverty than men and lower incomes in general

• Women are more likely to work part time

• Women have more trouble accessing care because of cost

• Women require more health care services during their reproductive years and have higher out-of-pocket medical costs

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Reproductive Health Care is Women’ Health Care

• The average American woman who wants 2 children spends ~30 years trying to avoid pregnancy

• 1 in 3 American women has an abortion during her lifetime

• Contraception and abortion, along with pregnancy-related services, are fundamental aspects of women’s health care

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Insurance-Based System Insurance-Based System Contributes to Disparities in Contributes to Disparities in

Reproductive HealthReproductive Health

• Many women can’t afford basic services

• Public funding for contraception inadequate–Serves 7 million women/year, about 41% of

estimated need

• Abortion rates highest for poor women

• Restrictions on public funding for abortion negatively impact women’s health

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Federal Restriction on Abortion Funding (the Hyde Amendment) Effects:

• Women who rely on Medicaid

• Native American women

• Women in prison

• Military personnel and dependents

• Federal employees

• Peace Corps volunteers

• And now– women in PPACA high risk pools

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The Problem of the 10 Foot Pole

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Can we all work together to achieve truly universal health care for all?

• Will taking on a stand on reproductive rights decrease our chances of achieving single payer, by alienating those opposed to abortion?

• Does being silent on the issue of abortion (and contraception) prevent us from expanding our movement into the women’s rights community?

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Our Allies