The Alliance for Women’s Health and Prevention (AWHP) has been working hard to keep our finger on the pulse of policy changes and updates. Many of these recent updates have raised alarms, including proposed cuts to Medicaid, and an unprecedented removal of ACIP members, and the removal of COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for healthy pregnant women.
AWHP remains firm in our mission to protect preventive care for all women and girls. We will continue to engage in advocacy and build partnerships to protect this vital care.
Read more about our efforts around these issues below.
Protecting Vaccine Access and Equity
Our latest statement responds to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy’s decision to dismiss all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice (ACIP), an unprecednted and troubling decision. Women across the country rely on recommendations from ACIP, which form the basis for vaccine access and coverage, to protect themselves and their families from vaccine preventable diseases across the lifespan, especially during pregnancy and early childhood.
AWHP also released a statement warning about the danger of Sec. Kennedy’s decision to remove COVID-19 vaccines from the CDC’s recommended immunization schedule for healthy pregnant women. This change diverges from a strong body of scientific evidence supporting the safety and benefits of vaccination during pregnancy.
Recent actions by Secretary Kennedy put lives at risk and undermine decades of public health progress and trust. Vaccines are a cornerstone of preventive health, and we must work to protect women and girl’s access to them, promote vaccine confidence, and prioritize evidence-based vaccine science.
Urging Congress to Reject Cuts to the Medicaid Program
AWHP has also been keeping track of the recent movements on the proposed Medicaid cuts in Congress. We released a statement which emphasizes Medicaid’s critical role in supporting 24 million women nationwide and warns about the devastating impact these cuts would have for women and girls across the country.
We also sent a letter to Senate Leadership and the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, urging them to reject any cuts to the program. Our efforts draw on the findings of our recent survey, which underscore the impact of Medicaid on women’s health.
Finally, AWHP is actively engaged as a member of the Modern Medicaid Alliance, including joining over 190 leading healthcare organizations in signing onto its letter to Senate leadership expressing oppositions to the proposed Medicaid cuts included as part of H.R.1.
Championing Comprehensive Obesity Care Coverage
AWHP applauds the recent bipartisan action to re-introduce the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA). If implemented, this legislation would close a critical care gap for millions of people by providing Medicare coverage for comprehensive obesity care. AWHP released a statement expressing our support for TROA and thanking its cosponsors for taking decisive action to support women’s health.
AWHP also remains steadfast in its commitment to expanding coverage for comprehensive obesity care as the lead convenor of the EveryBODY Covered campaign. With more than 30 partner organizations and 60,000 advocates in its network, the campaign is activating policymakers and employers to advance women’s health by improving access to comprehensive obesity care for all.