This week marked an important milestone in the adoption of Healthcare Reform, particularly as it relates to issues affecting women.

When eight Obamacare regulations go into this week, 47 million women will benefit from the guaranteed coverage of preventive services — including contraception coverage — without co-pays. The new rules will require most insurance plans to begin including the services at no additional cost at the next renewal date that falls on or after August 1, according to a news release from the Department of Health and Human Services.

The Center for American Progress graphic breaks down what will be covered and how women will benefit:

• Annual well-woman visits
• Screening for gestational diabetes
• Testing for the human papilloma virus, or HPV
• Counseling for sexually transmitted infections
• Counseling and screening for HIV
• Contraceptive methods and counseling
• Breastfeeding support, supplies & counseling
• Screening and counseling for domestic and interpersonal violence

Excellent.

I am sure that you also see how critically important each of these preventive measures will be in supporting a woman’s personal health, mentally and physically. This week is definitely a win for our healthcare system and for women in general – to think that pap smears were being pushed to twice a year, screenings for STDs and HIV were optional and not always covered by insurance, and use of contraceptives are being debated by those who don’t have a vagina at all, I would say that this is progress.  In addition, a woman’s decision to breastfeed and even her decisions surrounding managing her personal relationships are deeply personal and often conflicting. The fact that there will be support and counseling available for women in these areas is also commendable. Women have gained major strides with this referendum.

Source:  Think Progress