The Commonwealth Fund report compared the status of health and healthcare for women in the United States to that of 10 other wealthy countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, and Australia.
As obstetricians and women’s health advocates celebrate a new law that will try to explain the rising numbers of US women dying in childbirth, a recent report from the Commonwealth Fund shows that health problems for the nation’s women start well before pregnancy.
The report, “What is the Status of Women’s Health and Health Care in the US Compared to Ten Other Countries?” asks that question and finds grim answers when evaluating women’s health status alongside that of women in other wealthy nations, including the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, and Australia.
In general, women in the United States spent more out of pocket and get less for it, put off care, and worry so much that stress levels are the highest among the countries studied. US women also have more chronic conditions, which could explain why pregnancy proves so difficult.
The study found:
“When it comes to affordable health insurance and healthcare, US women stand out from other countries as uniquely disadvantaged,” Sara Collins, study co-author and president for Healthcare Coverage and Access at the Commonwealth Fund, said in a statement.
“They are more likely than women in most wealthy countries to face high out-of-pocket costs to report problems paying medical bills. To do better for women, state and federal policy makers could expand Medicaid in states that haven’t yet done so. They could also maintain the Affordable Care Act’s comprehensive benefit requirements, including maternity coverage and free preventive care, and improve the cost protection that private plans provide.”
Reference
Gunja MZ, Tikkanen R, Seervai S, Collins SR. What is the status of women’s health and healthcare in the US compared to 10 other countries? Published online December 19, 2018. The Commonwealth Fund. doi.org/10.26099/wy8a-7w13.
What We’re Reading: Historic Low of Uninsured; Youth Gender Treatments; Birth Control Recall
August 4th 2023A record low of 7.7% of Americans had no health insurance at the start of 2023; the American Academy of Pediatrics renewed its backing of gender care for children while requesting a research review; 2 lots of an oral contraceptive were recalled for possible reduction in effectiveness.
Read More
Addressing Maternal Mortality in Medicaid by Focusing on Mental Health
February 15th 2023On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with Inland Empire Health Plan, a managed care plan serving more than 1.4 million residents on Medi-Cal in California, about a new maternal mental health program aimed at supporting new mothers, both before they give birth and afterward.
Listen
Lawyers were questioned in a federal lawsuit intending to overturn approval of a drug used for medication abortion; during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, US maternal mortality increased for the third year in a row; the Alzheimer’s Association is lobbying Congress to push for Medicare coverage of new Alzheimer drugs under early access.
Read More
For National Women’s Health Week, One Company Emphasizes Cardiovascular Risk Management
May 10th 2022On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with Joanne Armstrong, MD, MPH, vice president and chief medical officer for Women’s Health and Genomics at CVS Health, on the distinct pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease in women and how her own health experiences have influenced her perspective on cardiovascular disease management.
Listen