Pregnancy as a Qualifying Event Act of 2019

On January 27, 2020, the DC Council Committee on Health held a hearing on the “Pregnancy as a Qualifying Event Act of 2019.” This unique piece of legislation would make DC the first state or jurisdiction in the country to require any health insurer that allows for special enrollment periods to include pregnancy as an event that triggers a special enrollment period. This is significant because usually insurers treat the birth of a baby as the qualifying event that triggers a special enrollment period, but not pregnancy itself. This means that if someone does not already have an insurance plan that covers maternity care, they will often have a difficult time accessing this care, which is usually expensive but important for a healthy pregnancy and birth. While a handful of states have made pregnancy a qualifying event for a special enrollment period in their state-run Marketplaces, DC would be the first state/jurisdiction to expand this requirement to all insurance plans under their jurisdiction, including the large group market. I testified at the hearing as a public witness, along with ACOG. You can read my testimony here.

Strengthening Reproductive Health Protections Amendment Act of 2019

On December 19, 2019, the DC Council Committee on Government Operations held a hearing on the “Strengthening Reproductive Health Protections Amendment Act of 2019” (SRHPAA). This legislation protects DC residents’ ability to access reproductive health care without government interference and ensure that employers can’t discriminate against health care professionals that support or provide abortion care.

I’ve been working with Planned Parenthood Advocates of DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia (PPADMV) on moving this important legislation forward. I also testified as a public witness at the December hearing, along with many other people who, like me, believe in the importance of protecting reproductive health care in DC. You can read my testimony here. On February 4, 2020, the full DC Council held their first vote on the bill, and it passed with unanimous support. The second vote will be coming up shortly. I feel incredibly fortunate to live in a city where my local legislators are committed to supporting, not restricting, reproductive health care!