Please join us at the 2015 My Health, My Life Legislative Summit. The Summit will take place at the State Capitol in June and will include meetings with elected officials, a rally and press conference, and training for supporters from across the state who want to build a stronger network in their hometowns.
We will ensure our elected officials know that women and men are watching and want them to restore funding for life-saving family planning in the state budget.
To reserve your spot and get the latest updates on the Legislative Summit, REGISTER today.
Date: Monday, June 22, 2015
Time: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
As more New Jersey residents gained access to insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA), 2014 marked the beginning of many great strides for women’s health care. Within the first year of open enrollment, 161,775 New Jersey residents were able to select health insurance plans through the Marketplace, and 53% of those residents were women.¹ Over 29 million women in the US, and 869,000 women in NJ are now able to receive expanded preventive services with no co-pay, including birth control, cancer screenings, and annual well-woman exams.²
Although the Affordable Care Act has created additional coverage opportunities for women, it is estimated that 693,000 New Jersey residents will remain uninsured, and 1.1 million women are in need of contraceptive services and supplies.³ While the Affordable Care Act has proven beneficial for NJ women, the need for reproductive and other preventive health care is still a concern for many NJ residents.
In 2010, Governor Chris Christie cut $7.4 million in funding for family planning services in New Jersey. An investment in family planning services not only helps women access contraceptive services, but also helps them avoid sexually transmitted infections, cervical cancer, and unintended pregnancies. Read the “Women’s Health at Risk” 2015 Report released by Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey.
The foundation for the UULMNJ’s support for reproductive justice is rooted in the Unitarian Universalist principle that affirms and promotes the inherent worth and dignity of every person. We value life and the consciences of individuals, and we are called to protect and affirm the lives of women when it comes to their reproductive choices.
1. Department of Health and Human Services USA. 2014. Addendum to the Health Insurance Marketplace Summary Enrollment Report for the Initial Annual Open Enrollment Period. http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/2014/MarketPlaceEnrollment/Apr2014/ib_2014Apr_enrollAddendum.pdf
2. Department of Health and Human Services USA. 2014. Increased Coverage of Preventive Services with Zero Cost Sharing Under the Affordable Care Act. http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/2014/preventiveservices/ib_preventiveservices.pdf
3. Health Affairs Blog. 2013. The Uninsured After Implementation of the Affordable Care Act: A Demographic and Geographic Analysis. http:// healthaffairs.org/blog/2013/06/06/the-uninsured-after-implementation-of-the-affordable-care-act-a-demographic-and-geographic-analysis/
4. Guttmacher Institute. 2014. Contraceptive Needs and Services, 2012 Update. http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/win/contraceptive-needs-2012.pdf
Laurice Grae-Hauck is the Outreach Coordinator of the Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of NJ.