Black Women for Health Reform Town Hall

PR Log (Press Release) – Sep 15, 2009 – Washington, D.C. - The Black Women's Health Imperative will host the Black Women for Health Reform Town Hall on Thursday, September 17, 2009, from 12:00-1:30 p.m. (registration and lunch available at 11:30 a.m.) in Washington, D.C.

Location:              Kaiser Family Foundation Barbara Jordan Conference Center
                              1330 G Street, NW, one block from Metro

REGISTER:         Lunch is provided for free. To be included in the lunch count, please
                              contact Denise Espie at despie@blackwomenshealth.org or  
                              202-548-4000

For Black women, health reform cannot come too soon. Black women are more likely to be uninsured, receive poor and suboptimal health care and die of preventable and treatable causes. As the cost of health care continues to rise, Black women, like millions of other Americans, are struggling to pay premiums if they have insurance or forgo treatment and medicine due to high out-of-pocket costs.

With Congress moving closer to passing health reform legislation, it is imperative that Black women speak out and support health care reform that provides access to affordable health care for all, ensures coverage of pre-existing conditions and limits out-of-pocket expenses that place many families in financial jeopardy. Presented by the Black Women’s Health Imperative (Imperative) in partnership with the Black Women’s Roundtable, the Black Women for Health Reform Town Hall will explore how Black women and girls will fare under the current health reform bills as they exist now and what additional measures are needed to close the gaps and eliminate health disparities.

Health policy experts and women’s health advocates scheduled to appear on the panel include:

Byllye Y. Avery, founder, Black Women’s Health Imperative and the Avery Institute for Social Change, will serve as the town hall moderator.

Eleanor Hinton Hoytt, president and CEO, Black Women’s Health Imperative, will put forth the imperatives for eliminating racial and gender health disparities and call on Black women to raise their voices in support for health reform.

Kierra Johnson, executive director, Choice USA, will examine the impact of current health reform efforts and provides strategies for addressing young women’s reproductive health needs once a health reform bill passes

Avis Jones-DeWeever, Ph.D., director, National Council of Negro Women Research, Public Policy, and Information Center, will comment on the politics of health reform for Black women and provide an overview of the policy measures needed now and in the future to ensure better health outcomes for Black women.

Deborah Reid, staff attorney, National Health Law Program, will discusses the needs of poor and uninsured women and legislative developments as they relate to Medicaid beneficiaries and reproductive justice.

Sheryl Underwood, comedian and president, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., will discuss why it is important for Black women to have affordable, accessible and quality health care.