Why Aren't Women More Concerned?

56% of all Medicare beneficiaries are women. Among the oldest, 85 and older, 70% are women. 76% of nursing home residents are female. 60% of those are single and 55% are over 85. Medicaid, not Medicare, pays for 80% of all nursing home days. It is obvious that women have the most at stake in the battles over Medicare and Medicaid.

Proposals in the new National Health Care plan include several provisions which hit women disproportionately. For example, there is a 5% surtax on cosemetic surgery which is expected to raise $5 billion in new revenue to pay for national health care. Of the 9.3 million cosmetic surgeries in 2008, women accounted for 92%. In other words, this tax falls disproportionately on women. Beyond that, one needs to ask whether reconstructive surgery after breast cancer, for example, should be taxed as a luxury? (Should there be a counterpart surtax on ED drugs for men?) Women, where are your voices?

The same bill prposes drastic cuts in Medicare and Medicaid funding. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, these will inevitably lead to fewer health care options for seniors--primarily women.

Our president has promised not to sign any plan which does not reduce the over-all cost of health care services. Unfortunately, what is becoming clear is that this can be accomplished only by rationing care, a conclusion we sadly reached in our book on this topic.

Women, you need to find your voices and express your concerns. Someday you will be directly affected. If not you, your mothers and grandmothers are certain to be impacted significantly. It is time to get involved in the discussion.