On March 23, protestors gathered in Cleveland to protest the Affordable Care Act’s mandate of contraception coverage, which brings nearly unprecedented reform to women’s healthcare. For young women in America, the ACA’s preventative-related policies are crucial for the maintenance of a healthy lifestyle.

The transition out of high school or college leaves many young women teetering on the edge of limited healthcare or no healthcare at all. Thanks to the ACA, young people can stay covered on their parents’ policy until the age of 26. Young women are now freer to explore entrepreneurial opportunities, non-traditional jobs, volunteer work or further education without having to worry about how or where they can get basic health care.

The Affordable Care Act ends discriminatory practices against women, such as charging women 150% higher premiums than men, and eliminates co-pays for preventative care such as birth control and cancer screenings. The ACA also bars insurance companies from discriminating against patients with “pre-existing” conditions, such as previous pregnancies or domestic violence, both of which have been named as “conditions” by insurance companies.

The Affordable Care Act provides essential access to basic health care for millions of young women and encourages the stable lifestyle that all women deserve.

Kelly Novak
Lakewood, Ohio