Republicans are killing women. Really.

Republicans are killing women. Really.

And it’s not just Florida women, though the following article from the Florida Sun Sentinel focuses on them.

Florida women dying from preventable causes
New scorecard assesses health, reproductive care across nation
By Cindy Krischer Goodman South Florida Sun Sentinel

Florida women are dying from causes that are preventable, including breast and cervical cancer, pregnancy complications, and mental health conditions, according to a new national scorecard of women’s health released Wednesday.

The Commonwealth Fund’s scorecard assessed women’s health and reproductive care in the United States over the last two years to measure the consequences of state policy choices and judicial decisions that limit women’s access to health services and reproductive care.

The 2024 Scorecard on Women’s Health and Reproductive Care comes amid a March 2024 National Center for Health Statistics finding that women’s life expectancy is at its lowest since 2006.

Using 32 measures, The Commonwealth Fund, a private healthcare research foundation, ranks Florida in the bottom third of the country (39th) for how well the state’s healthcare system works for women ages 15 to 44.

Overall, Florida has a higher than the U.S. average rate of women who lack insurance, die while pregnant, give birth without prenatal care, and succumb to breast and cervical cancer.

“Our hope is that state policymakers can use this scorecard to identify and address gaps in care to guarantee that all women across the United States can live healthy lives with access to quality, affordable care, no matter where they live or what their background is,” said Joseph Betancourt, Commonwealth Fund president.

One of the biggest concerns highlighted in Florida’s low ranking is its high rate of uninsured women ages 19-64. It is one of 10 states that have not expanded eligibility for Medicaid and has had a problematic unwinding of pandemic-era Medicaid coverage that has left thousands of women either newly uninsured or with significant gaps in their coverage.

These ten states have not expanded Medicaid eligibility: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. All are “red” states, with the exception of Wisconsin, which is teetering on the edge.

The Affordable Care Act expanded Medicaid coverage to nearly all adults with incomes of up to 138% of the federal poverty level. (In 2023, that equals $20,120 for an individual or $41,400 for a family of four.)

It also increased federal matching funds for states that expanded their coverage.

Not only would these states’ women benefit from the health care, but the state taxpayers would benefit financially from the federal matching funds. 

It costs those states’ taxpayers money to deprive their poor of healthcare.

Why do they do it? Medicaid was originally established under Democrat President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965 as part of the Social Security Amendments. However, the significant expansion of Medicaid occurred under President Barack Obama with the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA, aka “Obamacare”) in 2010.

The ACA extends health coverage to millions of uninsured Americans.

It expands Medicaid eligibility, creates a Health Insurance Marketplace, prevents insurance companies from denying coverage due to preexisting conditions, and requires insurers to cover a list of these essential health benefits:

1. Ambulatory patient services (outpatient care you get without being admitted to a hospital)
2. Emergency services
3. Hospitalization (such as surgery and overnight stays)
4. Pregnancy, maternity, and newborn care (both before and after birth)
5. Mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment (this includes counseling and psychotherapy)
6. Prescription drugs
7. Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices (services and devices to help people with injuries, disabilities, or chronic conditions gain or recover mental and physical skills)
8. Laboratory services
9. Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management
10. Pediatric services, including oral and vision care/

But, Donald Trump hates Barack Obama. So, today’s Republicans would rather cost their taxpayers money and see their poor people, especially women, sicken and die than disobey Trump.

Women in states like Florida that have not expanded Medicaid eligibility report skipping health care at higher rates than in states with expanded eligibility.

The scorecard shows 22% of women ages 18-44 reported a time in the past 12 months when they needed to see a doctor but could not because of cost.

“One out of six women in Florida lacks health insurance,” said David Radley, senior scientist, Tracking Health System Performance, The Commonwealth Fund.

He notes the state also has a high percentage of women who don’t have a primary care doctor. A regular provider can help manage chronic medical conditions, conduct screenings and test for diseases.

“To me. the takeaway is if you can get access into the health care delivery system in Florida, you can probably get pretty good care.

“But if you can’t get access, you are going to feel it in your health and life expectancy.

“If you dont have that doctor to go to who understands your circumstances, you are not as likely to get the things you need to help you live a long life,” Radley said.

Overall, the scorecard’s findings raise concerns over the ripple effects of the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and the access to reproductive health care services.

The six Republicans on the Supreme Court all voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, despite its being “settled law” for 50 years.

All but Clarence Thomas emphasized their belief in the importance of “settled law” when specifically asked about Roe during their confirmation hearings. They lied.

A recent South Florida Sun Sentinel series, Born to Die, found expecting mothers in Florida, particularly those without insurance, are foregoing prenatal care leading to high rates of infant deaths and premature births.

The high rates of already-born infant deaths plus women’s deaths demonstrate the hypocrisy of the anti-abortion politicians. 

States with more abortion restrictions have higher maternal and infant mortality.

Maternal death rates in states that restricted abortion were 62% higher than in states where abortion was more easily accessible, new research showed.

Now, some states have proposed or enacted legislation aimed at restricting access to specific types of contraception, such as emergency contraceptives (e.g., Plan B) and intrauterine devices (IUDs). 

(“We won’t let you prevent pregnancy. We won’t let you get health care during pregnancy. We won’t let you abort. And we won’t support you after you give birth. Gotcha!”)

It’s all politics. They care nothing for taxpayers’ money. They care nothing for life.

The people, including pregnant women and already-born babies, are expendable.

Highlights from the Scorecard include various health trends that affect women’s care in Florida:
States like Florida with abortion restrictions tend to have fewer maternity care providers. Several dozen hospitals in Florida already have closed their labor and delivery units.

Women of reproductive age in states like Florida that had not expanded Medicaid eligibility were most at risk of going without coverage, as well as skipping needed care because of cost.

Nearly all states have witnessed an upward trend in syphilis among women of reproductive age since 2019. Florida’s rate is higher than the national average.

Rates of maternal deaths are highest in the Mississippi Delta region, which includes Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee.

All four states had abortion restrictions prior to the Supreme Court overturning the constitutional right to an abortion, and they all now have full abortion bans.

Florida’s strict six-week abortion ban went into effect on May 1. 

Deaths among women ages 15 to 44 were highest in southeastern states (which includes Florida). Top causes of death included preventable factors such as pregnancy complications, substance use, COVID-19, and breast or cervical cancer.

Death rates from all causes per 100,000 women of reproductive age ranged from a low of 70.5 in Hawaii to 203.6 in West Virginia.

Florida’s death rate is 114.

Southeastern states tend to be Republican. Hawaii is Democrat; West Virginia is Republican.

“Overall, there are mounting disparities in women’s health and reproductive care across the United States,” Radley said.

“Some states have built the policies up in ways to enable access to health care and some haven’t.

If you can’t afford to have healthcare, and especially if you are a woman, pray that you live in a blue state. Otherwise, there is an increased probability you and your children will die sooner than you should.

Florida is a state that has a large low-income population and a lot of people with no health insurance. And, they are less likely to get the care they want or need going forward.

We are finding that the state of heathcare for women is in a fragile place.”

Bottom line: The Republican-controlled Supreme Court voted to end Roe v. Wade. Republican-controlled states ban abortion. Republican-controlled states try to ban contraceptives. Republican-controlled states have not expanded Medicaid.

Women receive worse health care, sicken earlier, and die younger in Republican-controlled states.

South Florida Sun Sentinel health reporter Cindy Goodman can be reached at cgoodman@sunsentinel.com.

Rodger Malcolm Mitchell

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