Healthcare Reform is Coming...Soon.

The public wants health reform, and wants it now according to a survey conducted by researchers from the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health. In terms of what Americans think should be in the economic stimulus package, newly affordable health insurance coverage comes in second, only behind helping businesses help or create jobs.

We have already seen small strides toward health care reform in the quickly moving SCHIP (State Children’s Health Insurance Program) legislation and the allocation of funds in the stimulus package for extended unemployment insurance and other health related issues. Healthcare reform was a huge part of President Obama’s campaign promises and seems to have taken a back seat to the stimulus package. But, if you look carefully, the House and draft Senate versions of the stimulus package have hints of healthcare reform sprinkled throughout that may be a teaser of what’s to come.

Today I attended the National Academy of Social Insurance Roundtable “Preparing the Path to Long-Term Care Reform” which discussed long-term care advocacy and the lack of its mention in the new stimulus package. There is mention of additional funding for the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), but discussion arose as to just how likely that funding is to assist elders directly.

One general consensus is that, if adequately allocated, funding toward WIA will open doors to address long-term care since there are portions of the House version that specifically mention training programs for healthcare employees.

For elders, healthcare reform could help lower costs which is a positive considering its currently the first or second highest out-of-pocket expense for single elders, according to Elder Economic Security Standard™ Index available in Massachusetts, California, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Wisconsin. In some states, when housing costs are low, health care can amount to the largest expense for elder couples.

It will be interesting to see what the new administration does in regards to healthcare, given their campaign promise of reform. Specifically, we must wait and see if they address the issue of long-term care and sufficiently address elders’ needs, not to mention those of the geriatric workforce, in whatever changes are proposed.

What’s most important, though, is that elders can afford medical expenses to remain independent.

Historic Inauguration brings Renewed Opportunities

We could not let this week conclude without acknowledging the historic Inauguration of President Barack Obama that took place in Washington, DC just three days ago. Our nation’s capital was overflowing with people from all over the world who came to witness the unforgettable moment.

Wider Opportunities for Women (WOW) is optimistic about the new opportunities the Administration will provide to women, their families, and elders. We are especially pleased with the President’s language throughout his campaign on economic security and the formulation of the White House Task Force for Working Families headed by Vice President Joseph Biden. The Task Force looks to expand education and training opportunities, improve work and family balance, restore labor standards, protect middle-class and working-family incomes, and protect retirement security. Each of these goals is in line with the WOW agenda and will increase the number of people who are economically secure.

We look forward to navigating through the tough economic climate and are hopeful that the people of this country will continue to prosper and become economically secure due to WOW’s work on the national, state, and local levels and the new Administration’s commitment to these issues.

Equal Pay for Women Today

Last week, the House of Representatives passed the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and Paycheck Fairness Act by a vote of 256-163. The Ledbetter Act, originally blocked by the Senate in April, was quickly back on the table for last week’s vote after the Supreme Court ruled portions of it unconstitutional. The plaintiff, Lily Ledbetter, was an employee at Goodyear Tires in Alabama for 19 years, and was the only female supervisor. While working, she discovered she was being paid 20% less than her male employees.

Both acts focus on equality pay for women and more resources to strengthen the training of women in the workforce. Women currently make 78 cents per dollar earned by a man, which the Institute of Women’s Policy Research found would cost women $400,000 to $2 million over a lifetime in lost wages .

The cost is much higher, however, for elder women currently retired (or close to); due to the wider pay disparity during their working years. Subsequently, this affects how much revenue elder women receive in Social Security payments, directly affecting their income and economic security. Pay inequity is a cumulative disadvantage women face throughout their working years which is then compounded upon retirement. There are few avenues available to women to overcome these financial realities.

Wider Opportunities for Women is optimistic about the future of both acts! WOW is also a signee to the letter sent to Congress .

Both acts are just one Senate vote away from reaching the President’s desk!

Please send your support by contacting your Senator today!

Many Thanks for a Great 2008!

We dedicate our last post of the year to our wonderful state partners in California, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin! We’re using this opportunity to spotlight some of the great successes and fabulous work underway in each of the states. To find out more about this exciting work, visit each state’s website at: http://www.wowonline.org/ourprograms/eesi/

California (Insight Center for Community Economic Development)… where our partner is working with the Women’s Policy Institute of the California Women’s Foundation to use the Elder Economic Security Initiative as a platform for innovative legislation recommending use of the Elder Index in state and regional strategic planning efforts and care management assessment protocols. More details to come!

Connecticut (Permanent Commission on the Status of Women)… where our partner was recently quoted in an CT AARP newsletter article, “Older Women Face Higher Risk of Poverty,” on how gender and pay inequality impact economic security for women over the life span.

Illinois (Health and Medicine Policy Research Group)… where our partner is taking a lead role alongside advocates across the state to expand access and address financial barriers to enrolling in the state’s home and community-based long term care program by revising the eligibility formula for the program’s sliding scale fees.

Massachusetts (Massachusetts Association of Older Americans, Inc.)… where our partner was named “Advocate of the Year” by the Massachusetts Councils on Aging! Bravo!

Michigan (Elder Law of Michigan, Inc.)… where our partner was awarded a grant from MI AARP to use the Elder Index as a tool for outreach to elders on vital income support programs, such as housing assistance and the Medicare Savings Programs.

Minnesota (Minnesota Women’s Consortium)… where our partner is leveraging technology to bring the Elder Economic Security Initiative to stakeholders across the state through e-communications, online surveys and statewide video conferences.

New Jersey (New Jersey Foundation for Aging)… where our partner is developing a comprehensive intergenerational framework for economic security through the Elder Economic Security Initiative and drawing upon the expertise of other key organizations, including the Rutgers Center for Women and Work and Legal Services of New Jersey.

Pennsylvania (PathWaysPA)… where our partner’s engagement with local service providers resulted in the Elder Index being used to determine income eligibility for senior social service programming of the United Way of Great Lehigh Valley.

Wisconsin (Wisconsin Women’s Network)… where our partner’s outreach efforts to local advocates resulted in proposals by county officials in Washburn and Pierce counties to increase energy assistance to low-income seniors. Great stuff!

This is just a sampling! Each state has accomplished so much this year in furthering the Elder Economic Security Initiative. We congratulate each state on their individual accomplishments and we look forward to working with each state in the New Year to continue the success of the Initiative.

Thanks so much you for all of your hard work! We anticipate many more exciting outcomes in 2009!

We asked. The Transition Team responded.

Transition Team Announces Appointment of Task Force on Working Families in line with Wider Opportunities for Women's Recommendation

After our remarks to the Obama Transition Team last week, we are delighted the incoming administration is committing to work toward economic security for families and elders.

Read the Washington Post article about the Task Force here.

For Immediate Release
Contact: Susan Rees
(202) 464-1596
srees@wowonline.org

December 22, 2008

Task Force Shows Commitment to Working Families’ Agenda

Washington, DC—Wider Opportunities for Women’s Executive Director, Joan Kuriansky, praised the new administration’s Task Force of Working Families and reiterated WOW’s support for this inter-agency task force.

The impact of measuring policies and programs designed to improve the quality of life for all working families to a ‘yardstick’ can make a profound difference in both the administration of public programming and in the lives of the people they touch. “For over 40 years WOW has worked across the nation and in its home community of Washington, DC to build pathways to economic security for America’s families. That the administration has produced a vision for a task force which is in line with our recommendation for a Task Force on Economic Security demonstrates their commitment to working families and to listening to the advocates who exist to serve those working families,” Kuriansky said.

“Now more than ever we need tools to rebuild our communities, our economy and the American Dream—the American Dream in which all men and women have access to quality jobs that enable them to pay their bills, give their children a good education and prepare for the day they can retire in dignity with financial security in their own communities. An interagency task force dedicated to using a tool, a ‘yardstick’, to measure how far our families have come in terms of income adequacy and economic security can move federal policies and programs in the right direction.

“We applaud the administration’s goals for this task force. Putting an administration-wide emphasis on expanding education and lifelong training opportunities, improving work and family balance, restoring labor standards, including workplace safety, helping to protect middle-class and working-family incomes, and protecting retirement security are key ingredients to economic security for all working families. WOW looks forward to working with the administration to achieve movement along the administration’s yardstick and for American families,” Kuriansky concluded.

Wider Opportunities for Women (WOW) is a national organization that has helped women and their families achieve economic independence and equality of opportunity for over 40 years. Through our national Family Economic Self-Sufficiency Project and Elder Economic Security Initiative, WOW works with over 2,500 allies and partners in 40states. For more than 40 years, WOW has helped women learn to earn, with programs emphasizing literacy, technical and nontraditional skills, the welfare-to-work transition, career development, and retirement security. Since 1964, WOW has trained more than 10,000 women for well-paid work in the DC area. WOW leads the National Women's Workforce Network, which is comprised of organizations committed to increasing women and girls' access to well-paid work, the Family Economic Self-Sufficiency Project, and the Elder Economic Security Initiative.

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WOW Briefs Obama Transition Team

Wider Opportunities for Women was pleased to brief the Obama Transition Team Wednesday on issues specific to women, work, and families. Our Executive Director, Joan Kuriansky, and Reproductive Rights Coordinator Ann Kolker were both in attendance and below are Ann’s thoughts on the event.

"Amidst the flurry of briefing papers, sign-on letters, conference calls and late-night conversations that have pre-occupied WOW as we prepare for a new administration in January, one event stands out: WOW was asked by the head of outreach for the transition team to organize a briefing on women, work and families issues for individuals expected to hold high level positions in the Obama-Biden administration. We quickly assembled about 20 experts from the coalitions and partner groups we work with – and on Wednesday provided a synopsis of the priority quality jobs, benefits, affirmative action, education and training and core economic security issues that could be addressed in the early months of the new administration. Transition officials appeared impressed with our presentation and excited to have “action items” that the incoming team could implement." - Ann Kolker

WOW Featured in Forbes.com Op-Ed

Wider Opportunities for Women is pleased to be featured in an op-ed by Forbes writer Ruthie Ackerman last week on the importance of women in the workforce and how women can continue to defy the odds and take on nontraditional roles and progress even further to prominent positions. We are glad to be continually seen as a national resource for women looking for training and employment opportunities.

“Programs like Washington, D.C.-based Wider Opportunities for Women does just that, training women in construction and related fields. After Hurricane Katrina, the group offered instruction to women in Mississippi so that they could take advantage of the slew of rebuilding jobs in the state.”

– Ruthie Ackerman

To read the full article, click here.