State Legislative Issues: 2009

Please utilize the below links to learn more about our legislative issues and to access our Legislative Issue Tallies, Year In Review summaries and monthly Bill Tracking Reports.

State Health Care Reform

Almost every state legislature in the last two years has confronted the health care issue and the problem of the uninsured and underinsured. Massachusetts and California have captured the headlines with their initiatives and several other states have begun serious discussions on what solutions may work for them. The experience gained from state reforms tested and implemented can be used as a framework for a national system many want. All states and the Nation are eager to understand how Massachusetts' bipartisan law combines the concept of personal responsibility, through an individual mandate to purchase insurance, with government subsidies to ensure affordability through Medicaid, while using the private market and competition to restrain costs and foster quality.

NEW ACOG has launched our national

health care reform agenda, Health Care for

Women, Health Care for All. Please click

the link to learn more about the role of the

states in health care reform and to access

our fact sheets.

"Lay" Midwives and Home Birth

We are seeing an increase in home birth and lay midwife bills across the country. Different tiltes for midwives and different levels of training foster public confusion and legislators often cannot distinguish between different types of midwives. Least - qualified midwives are gaining licensure as more and more states adopt the certified professional midwife (CPM) credential for licensure and not the certified midwife (CM) credential which ACOG recognizes.

Contraceptive Equity

Twenty - nine states have passed some requirement on health insurers to cover prescription contraceptive drugs, devices and services. Contraceptive equity means that if a health insurance plan covers prescription drugs and devices, it has to cover contraception too. While we've had dramatic improvements in insurance coveage in the states, coverage gaps still exist.

Access to Emergency Contraception

State Legislative efforts to expand access to emergency contraception have taken three general approaches: (1) requiring pharmacy stores and pharmacists to stock/dispense ECPs without delay; (2) requiring hospitals to provide emergency contraceptive services and information to sexual assault victims; and (3) supporting and funding public awareness efforts.

Medical Liability Reform

Legislative stalemate is likely to continue during the 2009 session. In many states, physicians have shifted to a defensive posture trying to hold the line – both in the legislature and the courts – against challenges to hard-won reforms. In a majority of states, the political climate is not favorable for tort reform, bills have failed several years in a row.

Abortion

The abortion issue is getting huge play in state legislatures across the country this year. Bills that would restrict, and ensure, access to abortion have been introduced in record numbers. Numerous ballot measures have also been proposed.

Reducing Perinatal HIV & AIDS State laws on HIV testing haven’t kept up with evolving medical/scientific guidelines. Many lawmakers are unaware and misinformed about the merits of ‘opt-out’ testing.

Tools You Can Use

Click here for helpful resources for your advocacy efforts, including toolkits, and links to State Legislature websites.

All New Advocacy Initiative:  ACOG Awards for State Legislative Advocacy

Click here for more info

Toolkits

These toolkits provide practical advice and examples of successful legislative advocacy: setting up an organized process for influencing legislation in their states, implementing a legislative agenda, and sustaining member involvement.

Legislative Rx

Learn ways to be more effective advocates, to be proactive rather than reactive, and how to jump - start efforts in your states.

Access your State Legislature Website

Find out when your State Legislature is in Session