July 2024 Advocacy in Action

This summer, AWHP has continued its advocacy for key women’s preventive health policies and focus areas, including obesity care coverage, osteoporosis screening, early cancer detection, and cardiovascular health. Learn more about its recent efforts below. 

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AWHP Legislative Priorities Gain Momentum

Two of AWHP’s legislative priorities, the Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) Screening Coverage Act and the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA), passed out of the House Ways and Means Committee in June. AWHP expressed its support for the MCED legislation and TROA, and engaged with other stakeholders to encourage passage. 

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Cardiovascular Health

AWHP CEO Millicent Gorham moderated a “Policy for the People” braintrust panel hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation titled “Cultivating Equitable Care: Cultural Competence and Cardiovascular Health in Black Communities.” Panelists discussed best practices for creating culturally responsive healthcare environments that prioritize the needs and preferences of Black patients, focusing specifically on cardiovascular health. 

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USPSTF Osteoporosis Guidelines

AWHP submitted comments to the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) in response to their recently released draft guidelines on screening for osteoporosis. AWHP expressed support for the continued recommendation for screening, but noted that USPSTF missed a key opportunity to further enhance its recommendations, such as by recommending screenings for anyone who has broken a bone over 50, including men. 

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EveryBODY Covered Campaign Update

AWHP’s EveryBODY Covered campaign continues its advocacy with employers, insurers, and elected officials for coverage of evidence-based obesity care. In June, AWHP hosted the first campaign quarterly meeting, bringing together representatives from the campaign’s 20 partner organizations to discuss campaign milestones and chart a course for collective efforts moving forward.

Following our letter to the Bipartisan Women’s Caucus urging them to advance access to obesity care for women by supporting TROA, AWHP met with key policymakers on the Hill.

Finally, the EveryBODY Covered campaign has also developed a new webpage for employers on how to best support employees living with obesity, and was mentioned by the Milken Institute in their new report titled “Modernizing Care for Obesity as a Chronic Disease: A How-To Guide for Employers.” The campaign’s perspective was also included in a recent blog by the Society for Women’s Health Research titled “Beyond the Stigma: Obesity’s Impact on Women’s Health.”

Learn more about AWHP’s advocacy for obesity care coverage and the EveryBODY Covered campaign at everybodycovered.org.

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