Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID) today joined the Department of Health (DOH), the Department of Human Services (DHS), and the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) to launch a new survey that the Shapiro Administration will use to identify challenges and questions women have about their health insurance benefits, and to remind Pennsylvania women during Women’s Health Month about the importance of access to the preventive health services that are available to them at no cost through their insurance.
“It’s important that every woman in Pennsylvania understands their health insurance coverage and is able to access the care they need without unnecessary barriers,” said Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Michael Humphreys. “We want to better understand the barriers to care so we can help ensure women take full advantage of the services they’ve paid their insurers to cover.”
The survey focuses on women’s preventive services, including regular check-ups and annual or periodic screenings, pregnancy care, and other essential health services, and will help the Department provide clearer information on issues that matter most to Pennsylvanians.
The survey will be open until July 7 and is available online in English, Spanish and Chinese.
Since taking office, Governor Josh Shapiro has prioritized addressing maternal health. In the 2023-24 budget, the Governor worked to secure the first-ever investment in addressing maternal mortality with $2.3 million to expand maternal health programming and for the implementation of prevention strategies to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity. Governor Shapiro built on that success by securing an additional $2.6 million increase in the 2024-25 budget for maternal mortality prevention, managed through the Department of Health. The Governor’s 2025-2026 budget proposal includes $5 million to fund maternal health initiatives.
Preventive Care and Screening
Women’s Health Month serves as a reminder for women across the Commonwealth to prioritize their health and well-being by scheduling check-ups, screenings, and preventive care.
“Preventive health services play an important role in reducing the impact of disease on women in Pennsylvania,” said DOH Bureau of Family Health Director Tara Trego. “The Department of Health invests in a variety of beneficial initiatives, including the Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. The program is working to eliminate health disparities by supporting cancer screenings for women with no insurance or who are underinsured.”
Breast and cervical cancer screenings are essential to identifying signs of cancer, even if someone doesn’t have any symptoms. Screening tests help identify disease early and make treating it easier.
The Pennsylvania Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program is free for eligible Pennsylvanians and includes:
- Mammograms and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to look for breast cancer
- Pap and human papillomavirus (HPV) tests to look for cervical cancer
- Follow-up tests if results are not normal
Additionally, patient navigators help set up appointments and solve issues that could make getting services difficult.
Health insurers under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) must provide coverage without requiring women to pay a deductible, copayment or coinsurance on the following preventive health services:
- Well-woman preventive visits;
- Screening for urinary incontinence;
- Screening for breast cancer;
- Screening for cervical cancer;
- Screening for anxiety;
- Screening and counseling for interpersonal and domestic violence;
- Obesity prevention in midlife women;
- Breastfeeding services and supplies;
- Contraception;
- Counseling for sexually transmitted infections (STIs);
- Screening for HIV; and
- Screening for diabetes in pregnancy and after pregnancy.
Medicaid & Women’s Health Services Program
Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services oversees Pennsylvania’s Medicaid program, which covers approximately one-third of all births in Pennsylvania. Through Medicaid, families have access to the full scope of medical services coverage, including counseling, screenings, proper prenatal care, and more.
Data shows that timely postpartum care is associated with lower maternal morbidity and mortality. DHS, therefore, has expanded the Medicaid coverage period for new moms and their child from six weeks to one year after the birth of a child and recently expanded access to doulas for Medicaid recipients.
“DHS is here when you need us, whether you are planning to give birth, you are about to give birth, or you have recently given birth. We know that those first weeks and months with your child are a beautiful, transformative time, but they can also be physically and mentally difficult and, at times, overwhelming,” said Sally Kozak, DHS Deputy Secretary for the Office of Medical Assistance Programs. “So maintaining access to health care is critical to help give parents peace of mind so they can care for themselves and be there for their babies.”
DHS also oversees the Commonwealth’s Women’s Health Services Program, designed for women regardless of income, to assist with prenatal care and postpartum supports; early detection and prevention of health conditions; parenting education programming; referrals for assistance with other physical or behavioral health care needs, and more.
More information on and applications for these programs and other assistance, such as food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), is available at www.dhs.pa.gov.
Substance Use Disorder Treatment
“The Shapiro Administration is working every day to ensure that women receive comprehensive, accessible, equitable, and quality health care,” said DDAP Deputy Secretary Kelly Primus. “Specifically, DDAP understands the impact of substance use disorders on pregnant and postpartum women and invests in programs that are designed to make sure this priority population not only survives before, during and after a pregnancy – but thrives.”
Pennsylvanians currently looking for substance use disorder (SUD) treatment options or information are encouraged to call the Get Help Now hotline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). In addition, Pennsylvanians can also use DDAP’s free, fully online platform, called Treatment Atlas, to confidentially find SUD treatment that meets their needs, whether they are insured or underinsured.
PID urges Pennsylvanians who have insurance questions, or who wish to file a complaint, to visit pa.gov/consumer or 1-866-PA-COMPLAINT.
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