OWL Releases 2004 Mother's Day Report 'A Poor Prognosis: Healthcare Costs and Aging Women' Highlighting Need for Healthcare Reform 5/5/2004
From: Elizabeth Runkle of the Older Women's League, 202-628-0444 ext. 14 WASHINGTON, May 5 -- At a press conference on Capitol Hill, the Older Women's League (OWL) releases its 18th annual Mother's Day report, urging Congress to enact real reforms to the current healthcare system to stem the tide of women losing health insurance and incomes. Midlife and aging women are the population least likely to have insurance in America. OWL is gravely concerned about the increasing numbers of uninsured women and alarming increases in healthcare costs. Millions of midlife women are falling into the "gap" between employment-based health insurance and Medicare, at the point when they need health insurance the most and can least afford it. The 2004 Mother's Day report, A Poor Prognosis: Healthcare Costs and Aging Women, details the unique position millions of midlife and older women find themselves in and makes policy recommendations to remedy this dismal situation. "Its time for meaningful healthcare reform. Women are increasingly demanding that their lawmakers enact reform rather than just band-aid legislation," says Dr. Laurie Young, OWL Executive Director. "OWL believes this problem of uninsured midlife and older women will only get worse if there is not a serious debate about the future of our nation's healthcare system. Privatization is not the answer." Once again, OWL releases a Mother's Day Report to remind members of Congress and the American public that Mother's Day is not just about flowers and cards- it's about ensuring that all mothers and women live economically secure, healthy lives, and have access to affordable, comprehensive healthcare. In 2002, the number of uninsured Americans' reached an all time high of 43.6 million. People age 55-64 were more likely than minor children to lack health insurance entirely (12.9 percent vs. 11.6 percent) and 15 percent of women age 60-64 -one in seven- had no health insurance. --- As the only national grassroots membership organization to focus solely on issues unique to women as they age, OWL strives to improve the status and quality of life for midlife and older women. OWL is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that accomplishes its work through research, education, and advocacy activities. Web: http://www.owl-national.org |