Give the Gift of Health This Holiday Season

Posted on December 21, 2016 by Ellen Hershkin, National President of Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Inc. and Emily Barson, Director of Intergovernmental and External Affairs (IEA) at the U.S. Department of H

Ed. note: This was originally published on the HHS.gov blog.

Summary: We are counting on you to help spread the word about preventive health benefits and the difference the ACA has made for women’s health.

With the holiday season upon us, spending time with family and friends is our number one priority. While we are focusing on this season of giving – thinking of the right gifts to get our loved ones, lighting the menorah, and the delicious meals we will share with our guests - it’s easy to overlook the importance of taking care of ourselves.

Today marks the beginning of Women’s Week of Action, and women’s groups, including Hadassah, are spreading the word about the importance of women’s preventive services, such as cancer screenings, contraception, and well-woman visits, as well as quality, affordable health coverage.

Women notoriously postpone or forgo medical care so they have the time or money to give to others. One in four women reports delaying or skipping care because of cost and, regardless of income, a quarter of women also cite lack of time as a barrier to care.[1] How many of us have cancelled a doctor’s appointment when our son or daughter’s sports team makes the play-offs and never rescheduled it? How many times has an annual physical sat unchecked at the bottom of our to-do list—below business trips, holiday shopping, and taking our parents or children to their appointments?

Often, preventive health services are the first to go, but they are actually the most essential. Preventive health services promote wellness, disease prevention, and early detection, empowering women with knowledge to make appropriate and informed medical decisions for themselves and their families. For years, health advocates have encouraged women to schedule their yearly mammograms on their birthdays. This time of year, we encourage women to book a well-woman visit, during which a woman will receive a full checkup and services, as well as set health goals with her doctor.

Being prepared by having health coverage is also a major part of ensuring that you and your loved ones will have a healthy lifestyle. If you do not already have coverage through an employer, membership organization or another source, you have access to affordable, quality plans through the Health Insurance Marketplace at HealthCare.gov. Thanks to provisions of the Affordable Care Act, all health insurers are required to cover essential health benefits, like pregnancy, maternity and newborn care, and recommended preventive services at no out-of-pocket cost.

Unfortunately, many women remain unaware that these services exist. We are counting on you to help spread the word about preventive health benefits and the difference the ACA has made for women’s health.

How You Can Help

  • Take charge of your health. Watch Hadassah’s breast self-exam video or learn what you can do to prevent heart disease. Review suggested questions to discuss with your physician during your well-woman visit, and plan ahead for what you want to discuss during the appointment.
  • Know the Facts. Explore Womenshealth.gov and Healthcare.gov, and encourage your friends and family to do the same. Open enrollment for the Health Insurance Marketplace runs through January 31, 2017. For more information, contact the 24/7 call center at 1-800-318-2596 (TTY 1-855-889-4325) or arrange for a free, in-person conversation in your community by visiting: LocalHelp.HealthCare.gov.
  • Spread the Word. Follow HealthCare.gov and Hadassah social media accounts and share our links with your networks. Post your own power of #preventivehealth and #GetCovered stories. It might be the difference in someone else taking charge of their health.

    HealthCare.gov – Facebook | Twitter
    Hadassah – Facebook | Twitter

Ellen Hershkin is the National President of Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Inc., which supports cutting-edge medical care and research in Israel. In the U.S. it empowers women through health education and advocacy. Earlier this year, Hadassah founded the Coalition for Women’s Health Equity to raise awareness about #HealthEquity4Her and promote for gender equity in medicine—from prevention and diagnosis, to treatment and cure.

Emily Barson, a Life Member of Hadassah, serves as the Director of Intergovernmental and External Affairs (IEA) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In this capacity, she provides advice to Secretary Sylvia Burwell on the Department’s work with governmental and non-governmental stakeholders across the country.

[1] The Kaiser Family Foundation. (2014). Women and Health Care in the Early Years of the Affordable Care Act. Retrieved from: https://kaiserfamilyfoundation.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/8590-women-and-health-care-in-the-early-years-of-the-affordable-care-act.pdf.