PITTSBURGH, PA – New Voices Pittsburgh, a Reproductive Justice and Human Rights organization, settled their lawsuit Planned Parenthood Southeastern Pennsylvania, New Voices Pittsburgh, and Michelle Bonaventura v. Beverly D. Mackereth against the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services on August 5, and the case was dismissed on August 10.
Represented by Women’s Law Project and Community Legal Services, New Voices Pittsburgh and its co-plaintiffs were successful in transitioning 74,415 low-income women in Pennsylvania from SelectPlan for Women – a very limited form of Medicaid that focuses only on family planning services – to full Medicaid health care coverage or the Affordable Care Act Marketplace.
“Health care is a human right regardless of income. New Voices Pittsburgh is proud of this tremendous victory to expand access to full health care for low-income women,” says La’Tasha D. Mayes, Executive Director. “With the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid Expansion in Pennsylvania, there was no reason to delay low-income women in accessing full Medicaid health care coverage or accessing the Affordable Care Act Marketplace for health insurance. The SelectPlan for Women was an important program and it will continue as Family Planning Services under the Governor Wolf administration to support women who may not qualify for Medicaid or the Marketplace – they will still be able to purchase contraception affordably,” commented Mayes.
New Voices Pittsburgh has spent the last six years creating access to health care for Black women and girls, women of color, low-income people, LGBTQ people and the uninsured. From advocating on Capitol Hill for the Affordable Care Act in 2009 to being invited to the White House by Dr. Jill Biden to discuss our in 2014, New Voices Pittsburgh provides critical advocacy on behalf of our constituents. New Voices Pittsburgh is the Western PA Regional Coordinator for the national Raising Women’s Voices coalition, a partner of Out2Enroll that focuses on enrolling LGBTQ people and was a collaborator with Enroll America during the first Open Enrollment period.
New Voices Pittsburgh continues to provide individual support for those seeking health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. Those seeking ACA health insurance can call their Health Access Project at 412.350.4500.
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