FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 20, 2015

Contacts:
Sarah Lovenheim, sarah.lovenheim@younginvincibles.org, 585-746-8281
Colin Seeberger, colin.seeberger@younginvincibles.org, 214.223.2913

Young Invincibles Urges HHS to Issue Immediate Guidance to Give Women Access to Maternity Care

[WASHINGTON]–Today, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a final rule without creating a special enrollment period for pregnant women to enroll in health insurance when they need it. In December, 20 organizations – including Young Invincibles – asked HHS to create a special enrollment period for pregnant women who lack access to maternity coverage. The Department has left open the possibility of issuing guidance to name additional qualifying life events for Special Enrollment.

Christina Postolowski, Health Policy Manager at Young Invincibles released the following statement in response to the new 2016 Benefit and Payment Parameters final rule.

“We believe the Department of Health and Human Services can and should fix this problem. The average cost of maternity care and delivery without complications is $23,000. HHS has stood on the side of expanding access to coverage for millions of people – that shouldn’t change now. We urge the Department to issue immediate guidance to classify pregnancy as a trigger for Special Enrollment.”

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