Councilmember Allen Statement on Committee on Health Passing His Bill Protecting Women’s Health Benefits in Local Law Permanently

Bill Sent to Full Council as DC Health Link Enrollment Opens

Today the Committee on Health passed by a vote of 4-0 Councilmember Charles Allen’s Defending Access to Women’s Health Care Services Amendment Act of 2017, sending it to the Council for a first vote. This is the permanent version of legislation passed as both an emergency and temporary legislation earlier this spring. Following the vote, Councilmember Allen released the following statement:

“I want to thank the Chair of the Committee on Health, Councilmember Vince Gray, for his leadership and the members of the Committee for moving this important legislation.  This bill makes permanent the emergency and temporary laws already in place protecting women’s health benefits in the Affordable Care Act by writing them into our local laws.

Since first introducing emergency legislation this spring, we’ve seen the president and congress try three different times to take away these very basic benefits from families. That’s not going to happen in the District of Columbia, where we know that what is good for women’s health is good for everyone. Since the day Trump was sworn-in, we knew he was going to try and hurt women. That’s why I thought it was so important the Council act to make sure our local laws will guarantee these health benefits no matter what happens at either end of Pennsylvania Avenue.”

The timing of the vote comes as open enrollment for DC Health Link for 2018 coverage begins. Councilmember Allen’s bill ensures all 26 plans offered to District residents in 2018 include several health benefits for women without raising co-pays or deductibles.

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