Planned Parenthood Kicks Off Third Affordable Care Act Enrollment Period By Helping Women & Families Enroll & Renew

For Immediate Release: Nov. 25, 2015

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Open Enrollment Period Started November 1

New York, NY – November 1 marks the start of a new open enrollment period for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and Planned Parenthood is helping women and families across the country take charge of their health with information and tools on getting covered and renewing their coverage during the three-month open enrollment period (November 1, 2015 to January 31, 2016).

Throughout the open enrollment period, 23 Planned Parenthood affiliates across 19 states will host enrollment events, provide information and tools on signing up for affordable health insurance, and do community outreach on the importance of both enrolling and re-enrolling during the open enrollment period. Twenty affiliates will offer in-person assistance to help women, men, and families through the enrollment and re-enrollment process. In-person assistance will be available in English and Spanish, as Latino communities face some of the highest uninsured rates in the U.S.

“For almost 100 years, Planned Parenthood has been providing expert health care and information to women, men, and families,” said Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “We are committed to helping those without insurance get access to high-quality health coverage and care through the Affordable Care Act. We know that accidents happen, people get sick, and insurance is the best way to ensure that everyone can access the care they need without unexpected medical bills.”

Next week marks the Department of Human Services’ Women’s Week for Open Enrollment. Research shows the critical difference that the ACA has already made for women across the country. One in seven  Marketplace enrollees is a woman between the ages of 18 and 34. A recent report found that  5.5 million women of reproductive age (age 18-44) gained coverage between summer 2013 (prior to ACA implementation) and winter 2014-15 (after one year of enrollment). For low-income women in the ACA’s Medicaid expansion group, the reduction in uninsurance was particularly large, declining 12.0 percentage points, from 36.9 percent to 24.9 percent.

And thanks to the Affordable Care Act’s preventive health benefits, more than 55 million women have access to fully covered preventive women’s health services.  Millions of women now have access to birth control, routine well-woman exams, breast and cervical cancer screenings, and mammograms for women over 40 without copays or other out-of-pocket expenses.

“As the leading women’s health care provider and advocate in the country, we are proud to help women and families without insurance figure out what to consider in choosing a health insurance plan, how to get help paying for it, and how to sign up,” said Richards. “Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, millions more women can get the care they need, including birth control, cancer screenings and other preventive services without a copay.

“And whether you have health insurance or not, you can still come to Planned Parenthood for birth control, cancer screenings, and preventive health services. We’re here to make sure you get the care you need.”

In addition to Planned Parenthood’s enrollment events and activities, Planned Parenthood’s website Planned Parenthood Health Insurance Facts provides an overview of what the Affordable Care Act means for women, a calculator that helps visitors get a sense of what kind of financial help they can get, and specifics on what to consider as a woman choosing a health insurance plan. It also features a widget that allows visitors to find in-person assistance near them and schedule an appointment online with a certified assister.

Planned Parenthood health centers provided care for approximately 2.7 million  patients in 2013, including providing affordable birth control information and services for 3.5 million patients, nearly 380,000 Pap tests, over 487,000 breast exams, and nearly 4.5 million tests for STIs, including HIV tests.  

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Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable health care for women, men, and young people, as well as the nation’s largest provider of sex education. With approximately 700 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood organizations serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect and without judgment. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable health information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives.