by Thao Nguyen, Outreach Manager, 
National Women's Law Center 

What a difference a month makes! Only a few weeks ago, we told you about an exclusive new report from Reuters that showed how far insurance industry giant Wellpoint had gone to put profit over people. The Reuters article exposed Wellpoint’s practice of using an algorithm to target women with breast cancer for the cancellation of insurance coverage.

The public outcry from advocates, like the over 7,000 of NWLC’s health advocates that signed our petition asking Wellpoint to end their unconscionable practice immediately, and from leaders like Secretary Kathleen Sebelius led Wellpoint to announce that they would end this practice as of May 1, 2010. In addition to Wellpoint, a number of other insurance companies announced that they would also end their harmful rescission practice of canceling an individual’s insurance retroactively before a provision in the new health care reform law forced them to.

This is a clear victory for women in this country. At the same time, it highlights the importance the new health care reform law will play in the every day lives of women and their families. The need to implement the law in a way that works for women is essential and should be a primary concern of lawmakers, advocates, and yes—insurance companies alike.

As the implementation of the new health care reform law moves forward, NWLC will be watching to make sure that women and their families get the greatest benefit possible from this historic law. To learn more about our health care reform implementation work, please visit our Reform Matters project.

• Tags:
• health
• Thao Nguyen
• Women and Health Reform

View Original Post at womenstake.org