National Latina Institute Rallies at Supreme Court

Latinas make their voices heard on Affordable Care ActThe National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health (NLIRH), their grassroots activists and a contingent of other health care supporters rallied on the steps of the Supreme Court Tuesday in support of theAffordable Care Act. Advocates from NLIRH joined hundreds of other women and men to voice their support for the ACA as the Supreme Court justices heard arguments.“Latinas still face far too many health disparities, including higher rates of cervical cancer and unintended pregnancy,” said Jessica González-Rojas, executive director of NLIRH. “The steps the ACA takes toward closing disparities in care are critical for Latina health.”The Affordable Care Act already expands health coverage for children and young people. The ACA both eliminates coverage discrimination against children with pre-existing conditions and requires insurancecompanies to cover dependents until age 26. Thanks to the ACA, 736,000 young Latino/as have access to health care, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.Latinas can expect even more access to high quality, affordable care if the Supreme Court allows the ACA to remain intact. The law expands access to life-saving preventive care, like cervical cancerscreenings, and increases support for community health centers, expands Medicaid coverage and ensures that every woman can plan the timing and spacing of her family without expensive co-pays.“On Tuesday on the Supreme Court steps, Latinas used their voices to tell America that they deserve access to quality, affordable healthcare, including contraception,” González-Rojas said. “The AffordableCare Act allows millions of Latinas to make the healthiest decisions for themselves and their families, and they made sure America heard their support for that.”