On the 37th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Murray Calls for Continued Focus on Women’s Access to Health Care

 (Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray released the following statement on the 37th anniversary of the historic Supreme Court Decision to constitutionally guarantee access to safe and legal reproductive choice in the United States.

"As we mark the 37th anniversary of the historic Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, we must redouble our efforts to ensure that all women and families in America have access to the health care services and choices they deserve.

“We have made great progress in the past year, but plenty of work remains.  I was proud to support President Obama’s decision to lift the global gag rule and ensure safe, accessible health care to women around the world. 

"We all want to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies, but limiting health care and education options will only produce the opposite effect.  Access to a broad range of education and health options – from family planning to prenatal care – is fundamental to women’s health and to the well-being of our communities. I will continue to work to reduce unintended pregnancies by expanding access to safe and affordable family planning alternatives.

“I will also continue working to enact health insurance reform, which is about increasing choices for women and families. Today, women are charged nearly fifty percent more than men for health care in the individual market.  Women put off preventative care like mammograms because the co-pays are too much, are denied coverage for critical prenatal care and are charged more or denied coverage for pregnancy, c-sections and domestic violence which are deemed ‘pre-existing conditions’ by insurance companies.  Health insurance reform will cap what insurance companies can force women to pay out-of-pocket for care, eliminate lifetime limits on how much insurance companies cover if a woman gets sick, and end the discriminatory practice of charging women more for care than men.

“So today, as we look back at how far our nation has come, I continue to look forward to the work we still have to accomplish to ensure women and families truly have control over their personal health care choices.”