The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) joins more than 150 national organizations in supporting Cover the Uninsured Week (April 23-29, 2007), the nation's largest nonpartisan campaign to call attention to the need for reliable, affordable health coverage for all Americans.
Cover the Uninsured Week, spearheaded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, spotlights the plight of the more than 47 million Americans who have no health insurance. The 2007 campaign will have a special focus on uninsured children as the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) comes up for congressional reauthorization this year. SCHIP provides health coverage for the children of working parents who cannot afford insurance on their own.
"In 2005, nearly 22 million women had no health insurance, and 13% of all pregnant women in the US were uninsured. Additionally, thousands of Americans die each year solely because they do not have health coverage," says ACOG President Douglas W. Laube, MD, MEd. "The problem of uninsured Americans is not going away and will require the continued attention of the medical community and our elected officials. As ob-gyns, we must remain committed to advocating for better insurance coverage on our patients' behalf," he adds.
Access to health care is key to preventing or lowering the risk of chronic disease and managing current medical conditions. However, uninsured women are less likely to receive important preventive health care and screening tests, such as clinical breast exams and tests for cervical cancer, than are insured women. They are also more likely to receive diagnoses at more advanced disease stages and tend to receive less medical treatment once diagnosed.
ACOG Fellows are urged to participate in Cover the Uninsured Week to raise awareness of the plight of the uninsured in their hometowns and across the nation. During April 23-29, more than 1,000 events will take place in all 50 states and Washington, DC, in which participants will join together to tell their leaders that health care coverage for all Americans must be a top priority.
For more information about Cover the Uninsured Week and scheduled events, go to covertheuninsured.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is the national medical organization representing over 51,000 members who provide health care for women.
