The woman’s annual preventive visit, or the Well-Woman Visit (WWV) is offered to most women at no cost to them through either their insurance or Medicaid. Although it is recommended that each woman receive at least one annual WWV, many women—even those with insurance—do not receive this care. The following barriers to care have been identified through Listening Sessions conducted with 156 women in 8 cities (Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Jackson, Nashville, New Orleans, Oakland, and Omaha) in the Spring of 2016, as well as 104 stories that were shared on a Well-Woman Project website/blog or phone line by women across the United States.
Under each barrier, you can access the Three R's to address the issue—Response, Recommendations, and Resources. Corresponding resources that address each barrier are coded by identified audience:
Women Providers Health Departments and Communities
The Problem. Women in many cities reported long distances to providers, as well as no available parking, unreliable and unsafe public transportation when traveling with small children (i.e., no room for car seats, strollers), and unreliable and not woman-friendly transportation services (i.e., van services).
The Response. Lack of childcare and transportation are major impediments to accessing healthcare (Theme 9).
Recommendations
Resources
Nurx: Birth Control Delivered to You. This resource is a phone app that can deliver birth control to you without a visit to a doctor or a pharmacy with or without insurance. The pricing starts at $15 a month and is available in 14 states.
Maven: Healthcare for Women. This resource is an app and a website that gives women access to medical professionals without having to make an office visit. Women can receive healthcare services such as contraception, mental health, and pregnancy and postpartum help. Women can choose to speak with a medical professional or choose to browse the many health-related forums.
Biem. This resource is an app that gives women access to STI testing without having to make an office visit. Women can talk with a doctor via the app, receive STI testing supplies to test at home, and receive results via the app. Costs will depend on insurance and coverage.
LEMONAID: Healthcare. Refreshingly Simple. This resource is an app and a website that allows woman to receive a medical prescription without a visit to a medical provider. Women answer health questions which are reviewed by a medical provider and if approved, women can pick up their prescription at a local pharmacy. The “visit” costs $25 and women pay for their prescription at the pharmacy.
Where to Get It: Birth Control. This webpage offers a number of resources to help women obtain birth control. It lets women search for a health center by zip code, determine if they are able to get birth control delivered to their door, and where to find emergency contraception. It also provides a link for women to use to determine if they are eligible for free birth control.
The Problem. Women face barriers in obtaining any or low-cost insurance (e.g., issues with co-payments, deductibles, premiums) for a variety of reasons. Women avoid seeking health care because they are afraid they cannot afford the associated costs or fear going into debt/filing for bankruptcy due to medical bills. Women frequently discussed that the quality of care depended greatly on type of insurance.
The Response. Women weigh costs vs. benefits when deciding to access care (Theme 3).
Recommendations
Resources
Well-Woman Consumer Advocates Toolkit. This toolkit is for advocates to get the word out about no-cost well-woman visits and includes information on how education and counseling services offered through this benefit can improve a woman’s health throughout her lifespan.
Find a Family Planning Clinic. This resource assists women in finding a family planning clinic in their area. Women type in their zip code and family planning clinic options appear.
Well-Woman Provider Organizations Toolkit. This toolkit is for providers to get the word out about no-cost well-woman visit and includes information on how education and counseling services offered through this benefit can improve women’s health throughout her lifespan.
The Girls' Guide to Getting Some Privacy on Your Parents' Health Insurance. This resource provides one woman's experience with getting privacy on her parent's insurance plan. It provides women with steps to take and questions to ask their provider during their visit to ensure confidentiality.
How to Find Low-Cost Health Care in Your Community. This resource helps women to locate low-cost health care options in their community. It locates community health centers within a certain distance to the woman’s zip code.
5 Tips for Navigating Medical Care Without Health Insurance. This resource provides tips to women that may be under-insured or uninsured in navigating the healthcare system and obtaining the needed care.
Nurx: Birth Control Delivered to You. This resource is a phone app that can deliver birth control to you without a visit to a doctor or a pharmacy with or without insurance. The pricing starts at $15 a month and is available in 14 states.
Maven: Healthcare for Women. This resource is an app and a website that gives women access to medical professionals without having to make an office visit. Women can receive healthcare services such as contraception, mental health, and pregnancy and postpartum help. Women can choose to speak with a medical professional or choose to browse the many health-related forums.
LEMONAID: Healthcare. Refreshingly Simple. This resource is an app and a website that allows woman to receive a medical prescription without a visit to a medical provider. Women answer health questions which are reviewed by a medical provider and if approved, women can pick up their prescription at a local pharmacy. The “visit” costs $25 and women pay for their prescription at the pharmacy.
Well-Woman Visit. This resource provides women information on the purpose and content of the well-woman visit. It also provides information on insurance benefits and links to information on free preventive healthcare services.
What is preventive care? This resource provides women and their families with a list of preventive healthcare services that are free under the Affordable Care Act. It provides a list of services free for women, women and men, and women with certain health risks.
My Health, My Voice: A Women’s Step-by-Step Guide to Using Health Insurance. This resource provides information on Raising Women’s Voices health insurance guide for women. There are links provided in this resource for different health literacy materials, including a link to the health insurance guide.
Women's Preventive Services Guidelines. This resource provides a list of women’s preventive services covered under the Affordable Care Act. It also provides the HHS guideline for health insurance coverage for each preventive service listed, along with frequency of each preventive service.
Women's Health Care. This resource provides a number of helpful links for providers that perform annual well-woman care. Resource include the recommendations of the Women’s Preventive Services Initiative, well-woman recommendations based on age and risk factors, and additional resources.
Well-Woman Visits: 6 Things You Should Know. This resource is a list of 6 things women should know related to the well-woman visit. It provides information on the content and importance of the visit, as well as links to other helpful resources.
Where to Get It: Birth Control. This webpage offers a number of resources to help women obtain birth control. It lets women search for a health center by zip code, determine if they are able to get birth control delivered to their door, and where to find emergency contraception. It also provides a link for women to use to determine if they are eligible for free birth control.
Am I eligible? This resource provides information on the health insurance marketplaces and who is eligible to apply for health insurance in the marketplace. It also provides information on Medicaid, low-cost insurance options, and what can happen if you remain uninsured.
Choosing a plan. This resource provides information on how to choose a health plan that fits your specific needs. It presents three main questions to ask yourself before choosing a health plan.
How to enroll. This resource provides information on how to enroll into health coverage. This resource focuses on the 2016-2017 enrollment period, but the information is still relevant for women looking to enroll in the 2017-2018 enrollment period. It provides information based on state of residence, and also provides links to help women find an insurance navigator in their community.
Useful links: Health Insurance. This resource provides links related to FAQs on health reform, getting ready to apply for health insurance and health insurance basics (what are the different types of health insurance?).
Covered Women's Health Services. This resource provides a list of women’s health services that must be covered by your health plan no matter what state the woman lives in. It lists services that are always covered, sometimes covered, and how to determine if a service is covered by your insurance. It also provides a link to covered preventive health services for women.
Get your Well-Woman Visit Every Year. This resource provides women with information about the annual well-woman visit. It provides an overview of the visit, what women can expect during the visit, how to get ready for the visit, what screenings to ask for, and how they should follow-up with your provider post-visit.
The Problem. Barriers with providers stemmed from lack of trust or comfort; women felt they were not heard and that providers did not address their concerns. The structure of appointments (e.g., getting an appointment, actual time spent with provider) often cause women to delay or defer seeking healthcare services.
The Response. Relationships with providers are key to women's decisions about accessing care (Theme 4).
Recommendations
Resources
Well–Woman Provider Organizations Toolkit. This toolkit is for providers to get the word out about no-cost well-woman visit and includes information on how education and counseling services offered through this benefit can improve women’s health throughout her lifespan.
How To Talk Doctor. This resource describes strategies to assist women in communicating effectively with their providers.
The Girls' Guide to Getting Some Privacy on Your Parents’ Health Insurance. This resource provides one woman’s experience with getting privacy on her parent's insurance plan. It provides women with steps to take and questions to ask their provider during their visit to ensure confidentiality.
Cultural Competency Training for Healthcare Providers: Connecting with your Patients. This resource provides information on cultural competency and how providers can better communicate with specific portions of the population.
Your Annual Health Care Visit. This resource provides women with tailored information about annual health care visits based on age. Women can select their age group and learn about health topics to discuss with their provider, exams and screening tests, and appropriate immunizations.
Annual Women's Health Care. This resource provides a number of helpful links for providers that perform annual well-woman care. Resource include the recommendations of the Women’s Preventive Services Initiative, well-woman recommendations based on age and risk factors, and additional resources.
Well-Woman Visits: 6 Things You Should Know. This resource is a list of 6 things women should know related to the well-woman visit. It provides information on the content and importance of the visit, as well as links to other helpful resources.
How to Talk Doctor. This resource provides helpful information to women on how to effectively communicate with their provider. It shares the information in three phases: what to do before your visit, during your visit, and after your visit.
How to Talk Doctor. This resource provides helpful information to women on how to effectively communicate with their provider. It shares the information in three phases: what to do before your visit, during your visit, and after your visit.
Behind the White Lab Coat: A Who’s Who Guide to Medical Professionals. This resource provides information to women on “who is who” within a medical clinic. It breaks it up by who you see when you check in for an appointment, when you go back to the exam room, when the “doctor” comes in, when you’re referred to a specialist, and when you need a medical test or a prescription medication.
Well-Woman Exam Encounter Form. This resource is a medical form that can be utilized by providers during a well-woman visit. It has a section that is to be completed by the patient and a section to be completed by the provider. There is a link at the bottom of the form where providers can access more resources from the FPM Toolbox.
Trauma-Informed Approach and Trauma-Specific Interventions. This resource provides information on a trauma-informed approach to care and lists SAMSHA’s six key principles of a trauma-informed approach. It also provides a description for a number of know trauma-specific interventions and provides links to more information.
Trauma-Informed: The Trauma Toolkit. This resource is aimed at service organizations and providers that deliver trauma-informed services to patients. It will provide organizations and providers with knowledge about working with patients who have experienced or been affected by trauma. It will also help providers to develop a healthy relationship with these patients that will make the patients feel safe and trusting.
Trauma-Informed Care Toolkits. This resource provides links to different trauma-informed toolkits and provides a brief description of each of the available toolkits.
Think Cultural Health: Advancing Health Equity at Every Point of Contact. This webpage provides a number of resources aimed at teaching health care professionals how to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services.
Committee Opinion: Well-Woman Visit. This resource provides information on the different components of the well-woman visit and the current guidelines/recommendations for each component.
Well-Woman Recommendations. This resource provides information on the different components of the well-woman visit and the current guidelines/recommendations for each component based on age group.
The Problem. Women reported being discriminated against related to race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, type of insurance, disability, and sexual orientation/gender.
The Response. The healthcare delivery system is not woman-friendly (Theme 1) and Relationships with providers are key to women's decisions about accessing care (Theme 4).
Recommendations for Theme 1
Recommendations for Theme 4
Resources
Cultural Competency Training for Healthcare Providers: Connecting with your Patients. This resource provides information on cultural competency and how providers can better communicate with specific portions of the population.
Nondiscrimination Protection in the Affordable Care Act: Section 1557. This resource provides information Section 1557 of the ACA, which prohibits discrimination in health care programs and health care activities based on race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability.
Summary: Final Rule Implementing Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act. This resource provides information Section 1557 of the ACA, which prohibits discrimination in health care programs and health care activities based on race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. It also discusses the availability of language assistance services to individuals with limited English proficiency.
Think Cultural Health: Advancing Health Equity at Every Point of Contact. This webpage provides a number of resources aimed at teaching health care professionals how to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services.
The Problem. Some women lacked basic health knowledge or previous experience with primary care. Many women did not seek healthcare services until pregnancy for this reason.
The Response. Health and insurance literacy empower women to advocate for themselves and others (Theme 5).
Recommendations
Resources
Your Guide to Well-Woman Visits. This brief resource explains what a well-woman visit is and what occurs during the well-woman visit. It gives a list of screenings that may be performed and also gives women a step-by-step explanation of how to prepare for their well-woman visit.
Well-Woman Consumer Advocates Toolkit. This toolkit is for advocates to get the word out about no-cost well-woman visits and includes information on how education and counseling services offered through this benefit can improve a woman’s health throughout her lifespan.
Well-Woman Provider Organizations Toolkit. This toolkit is for providers to get the word out about no-cost well-woman visit and includes information on how education and counseling services offered through this benefit can improve women’s health throughout her lifespan.
Well Visits for Women. This resource provides information on the women’s annual wellness visits. It also provides a list of resources related to how to communicate with providers, preconception interventions, women’s health, etc.
Find a Family Planning Clinic. This resource assists women in finding a family planning clinic in their area. Women type in their zip code and family planning clinic options appear.
The Girls' Guide to Getting Some Privacy on Your Parents' Health Insurance. This resource provides one woman’s experience with getting privacy on her parent’s insurance plan. It provides women with steps to take and questions to ask their provider during their visit to ensure confidentiality.
It Matters. This resource is an app that makes it easier for youth and young adults to find health centers and health services in their community. It also gives youth and young adults access to health information related to reproductive health. This app attempts to eliminate the stigma associated with seeking sexual and reproductive health services and ensure confidentiality while giving young adults access to important health information.
Well-Woman Visit. This resource provides women information on the purpose and content of the well-woman visit. It also provides information on insurance benefits and links to information on free preventive healthcare services.
What is preventive care? This resource provides women and their families with a list of preventive healthcare services that are free under the Affordable Care Act. It provides a list of services free for women, women and men, and women with certain health risks.
My Health, My Voice: A Women’s Step-by-Step Guide to Using Health Insurance. This resource provides information on Raising Women’s Voices health insurance guide for women. There are links provided in this resource for different health literacy materials, including a link to the health insurance guide.
Women's Preventive Services Guidelines. This resource provides a list of women's preventive services covered under the Affordable Care Act. It also provides the HHS guideline for health insurance coverage for each preventive service listed, along with frequency of each preventive service.
Annual Well-Woman Exam Infographic. This resource provides providers, clinics, and communities with an infographic that can be used to promote the well-woman visit and its importance to women. This infographic can be printed and placed in clinic waiting rooms, exam rooms, health departments, or other frequently visited community locations.
Your Annual Health Care Visit. This resource provides women with tailored information about annual health care visits based on age. Women can select their age group and learn about health topics to discuss with their provider, exams and screening tests, and appropriate immunizations.
Annual Women's Health Care. This resource provides a number of helpful links for providers that perform annual well-woman care. Resource include the recommendations of the Women’s Preventive Services Initiative, well-woman recommendations based on age and risk factors, and additional resources.
Well-Woman Visits: 6 Things You Should Know. This resource is a list of 6 things women should know related to the well-woman visit. It provides information on the content and importance of the visit, as well as links to other helpful resources.
Where to Get It: Birth Control. This webpage offers a number of resources to help women obtain birth control. It lets women search for a health center by zip code, determine if they are able to get birth control delivered to their door, and where to find emergency contraception. It also provides a link for women to use to determine if they are eligible for free birth control.
Getting Covered 101: How to get Health Insurance during Open Enrollment. This resource provides women information on how to obtain health insurance during open enrollment. Although this describes the process for open enrollment 2016-2017, it still contains relevant information to help women get insured.
Am I eligible? This resource provides information on the health insurance marketplaces and who is eligible to apply for health insurance in the marketplace. It also provides information on Medicaid, low-cost insurance options, and what can happen if you remain uninsured.
Choosing a plan. This resource provides information on how to choose a health plan that fits your specific needs. It presents three main questions to ask yourself before choosing a health plan.
How to enroll. This resource provides information on how to enroll into health coverage. This resource focuses on the 2016-2017 enrollment period, but the information is still relevant for women looking to enroll in the 2017-2018 enrollment period. It provides information based on state of residence, and also provides links to help women find an insurance navigator in their community.
Useful links: Health Insurance. This resource provides links related to FAQs on health reform, getting ready to apply for health insurance and health insurance basics (what are the different types of health insurance?).
Covered Women's Health Services. This resource provides a list of women’s health services that must be covered by your health plan no matter what state the woman lives in. It lists services that are always covered, sometimes covered, and how to determine if a service is covered by your insurance. It also provides a link to covered preventive health services for women.
Get your Well-Woman Visit Every Year. This resource provides women with information about the annual well-woman visit. It provides an overview of the visit, what women can expect during the visit, how to get ready for the visit, what screenings to ask for, and how they should follow-up with your provider post-visit.
The Problem. The vast complexity of the healthcare system prevented many women from seeking care or obtaining care. Many women documented feeling overwhelmed with tasks from initiating a new insurance plan, finding providers within their network, navigating new healthcare facilities and systems, as well as making appointments and adhering to the referral requirements of their insurance policies.
The Response. Health and insurance literacy empower women to advocate for themselves and others (Theme 5).
Recommendations
Resources
Your Guide to Well-Woman Visits. This brief resource explains what a well-woman visit is and what occurs during the well-woman visit. It gives a list of screenings that may be performed and also gives women a step-by-step explanation of how to prepare for their well-woman visit.
Well-Woman Consumer Advocates Toolkit. This toolkit is for advocates to get the word out about no-cost well-woman visits and includes information on how education and counseling services offered through this benefit can improve a woman’s health throughout her lifespan.
Well-Woman Provider Organizations Toolkit. This toolkit is for providers to get the word out about no-cost well-woman visit and includes information on how education and counseling services offered through this benefit can improve women’s health throughout her lifespan.
Find a Family Planning Clinic. This resource assists women in finding a family planning clinic in their area. Women type in their zip code and family planning clinic options appear.
5 Tips for Navigating Medical Care Without Health Insurance. This resource provides tips to women that may be under-insured or uninsured in navigating the healthcare system and obtaining the needed care.
7 Apps Making Reproductive Healthcare More Accessible. This resource provides information on 7 different phone apps that can assist women with accessing reproductive healthcare services, including a health consultation, birth control pill delivery, STI testing, etc.
LEMONAID: Healthcare. Refreshingly Simple. This resource is an app and a website that allows woman to receive a medical prescription without a visit to a medical provider. Women answer health questions which are reviewed by a medical provider and if approved, women can pick up their prescription at a local pharmacy. The “visit” costs $25 and women pay for their prescription at the pharmacy.
It Matters. This resource is an app that makes it easier for youth and young adults to find health centers and health services in their community. It also gives youth and young adults access to health information related to reproductive health. This app attempts to eliminate the stigma associated with seeking sexual and reproductive health services and ensure confidentiality while giving young adults access to important health information.
Well-Woman Visit. This resource provides women information on the purpose and content of the well-woman visit. It also provides information on insurance benefits and links to information on free preventive healthcare services.
What is preventive care? This resource provides women and their families with a list of preventive healthcare services that are free under the Affordable Care Act. It provides a list of services free for women, women and men, and women with certain health risks.
My Health, My Voice: A Women’s Step-by-Step Guide to Using Health Insurance. This resource provides information on Raising Women’s Voices health insurance guide for women. There are links provided in this resource for different health literacy materials, including a link to the health insurance guide.
Women's Preventive Services Guidelines. This resource provides a list of women's preventive services covered under the Affordable Care Act. It also provides the HHS guideline for health insurance coverage for each preventive service listed, along with frequency of each preventive service.
Annual Well-Woman Exam Infographic. This resource provides providers, clinics, and communities with an infographic that can be used to promote the well-woman visit and its importance to women. This infographic can be printed and placed in clinic waiting rooms, exam rooms, health departments, or other frequently visited community locations.
Your Annual Health Care Visit. This resource provides women with tailored information about annual health care visits based on age. Women can select their age group and learn about health topics to discuss with their provider, exams and screening tests, and appropriate immunizations.
Annual Women’s Health Care. This resource provides a number of helpful links for providers that perform annual well-woman care. Resource include the recommendations of the Women’s Preventive Services Initiative, well-woman recommendations based on age and risk factors, and additional resources.
Well-Woman Visits: 6 Things You Should Know. This resource is a list of 6 things women should know related to the well-woman visit. It provides information on the content and importance of the visit, as well as links to other helpful resources.
Where to Get It: Birth Control. This webpage offers a number of resources to help women obtain birth control. It lets women search for a health center by zip code, determine if they are able to get birth control delivered to their door, and where to find emergency contraception. It also provides a link for women to use to determine if they are eligible for free birth control.
Reminders. This resource offers reminders for birth control and reminders for upcoming appointments. Utilizing text messaging or a cell phone app, women will be sent daily reminders for birth control and an appointment reminder a few days before the date of the appointment.
Getting Covered 101: How to get Health Insurance during Open Enrollment. This resource provides women information on how to obtain health insurance during open enrollment. Although this describes the process for open enrollment 2016-2017, it still contains relevant information to help women get insured.
Am I eligible? This resource provides information on the health insurance marketplaces and who is eligible to apply for health insurance in the marketplace. It also provides information on Medicaid, low-cost insurance options, and what can happen if you remain uninsured.
Choosing a plan. This resource provides information on how to choose a health plan that fits your specific needs. It presents three main questions to ask yourself before choosing a health plan.
How to enroll. This resource provides information on how to enroll into health coverage. This resource focuses on the 2016-2017 enrollment period, but the information is still relevant for women looking to enroll in the 2017-2018 enrollment period. It provides information based on state of residence, and also provides links to help women find an insurance navigator in their community.
Useful links: Health Insurance. This resource provides links related to FAQs on health reform, getting ready to apply for health insurance and health insurance basics (what are the different types of health insurance?).
Covered Women's Health Services. This resource provides a list of women's health services that must be covered by your health plan no matter what state the woman lives in. It lists services that are always covered, sometimes covered, and how to determine if a service is covered by your insurance. It also provides a link to covered preventive health services for women.
Get your Well-Woman Visit Every Year. This resource provides women with information about the annual well-woman visit. It provides an overview of the visit, what women can expect during the visit, how to get ready for the visit, what screenings to ask for, and how they should follow-up with your provider post-visit.
Your Guide to Well-Woman Visits. This brief resource explains what a well-woman visit is and what occurs during the well-woman visit. It gives a list of screenings that may be performed and also gives women a step-by-step explanation of how to prepare for their well-woman visit.
The Girls' Guide to Getting Some Privacy on Your Parents' Health Insurance. This resource provides one woman's experience with getting privacy on her parent's insurance plan. It provides women with steps to take and questions to ask their provider during their visit to ensure confidentiality.
The Girls' Guide to Getting Some Privacy on Your Parents' Health Insurance. This resource provides one woman's experience with getting privacy on her parent's insurance plan. It provides women with steps to take and questions to ask their provider during their visit to ensure confidentiality.
Maven: Healthcare for Women. This resource is an app and a website that gives women access to medical professionals without having to make an office visit. Women can receive healthcare services such as contraception, mental health, and pregnancy and postpartum help. Women can choose to speak with a medical professional or choose to browse the many health-related forums.
Biem. This resource is an app that gives women access to STI testing without having to make an office visit. Women can talk with a doctor via the app, receive STI testing supplies to test at home, and receive results via the app. Costs will depend on insurance and coverage.
LEMONAID: Healthcare. Refreshingly Simple. This resource is an app and a website that allows woman to receive a medical prescription without a visit to a medical provider. Women answer health questions which are reviewed by a medical provider and if approved, women can pick up their prescription at a local pharmacy. The "visit" costs $25 and women pay for their prescription at the pharmacy.
It Matters. This resource is an app that makes it easier for youth and young adults to find health centers and health services in their community. It also gives youth and young adults access to health information related to reproductive health. This app attempts to eliminate the stigma associated with seeking sexual and reproductive health services and ensure confidentiality while giving young adults access to important health information.
Your Annual Health Care Visit. This resource provides women with tailored information about annual health care visits based on age. Women can select their age group and learn about health topics to discuss with their provider, exams and screening tests, and appropriate immunizations.
Where to Get It: Birth Control. This webpage offers a number of resources to help women obtain birth control. It lets women search for a health center by zip code, determine if they are able to get birth control delivered to their door, and where to find emergency contraception. It also provides a link for women to use to determine if they are eligible for free birth control.
Behind the White Lab Coat: A Who’s Who Guide to Medical Professionals. This resource provides information to women on “who is who” within a medical clinic. It breaks it up by who you see when you check in for an appointment, when you go back to the exam room, when the “doctor” comes in, when you’re referred to a specialist, and when you need a medical test or a prescription medication.
Covered Women's Health Services. This resource provides a list of women’s health services that must be covered by your health plan no matter what state the woman lives in. It lists services that are always covered, sometimes covered, and how to determine if a service is covered by your insurance. It also provides a link to covered preventive health services for women.
Trauma-Informed Approach and Trauma-Specific Interventions. This resource provides information on a trauma-informed approach to care and lists SAMSHA’s six key principles of a trauma-informed approach. It also provides a description for a number of know trauma-specific interventions and provides links to more information.
Trauma-Informed: The Trauma Toolkit. This resource is aimed at service organizations and providers that deliver trauma-informed services to patients. It will provide organizations and providers with knowledge about working with patients who have experienced or been affected by trauma. It will also help providers to develop a healthy relationship with these patients that will make the patients feel safe and trusting.
Trauma-Informed Care Toolkits. This resource provides links to different trauma-informed toolkits and provides a brief description of each of the available toolkits.
Think Cultural Health: Advancing Health Equity at Every Point of Contact. This webpage provides a number of resources aimed at teaching health care professionals how to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services.
Get your Well-Woman Visit Every Year. This resource provides women with information about the annual well-woman visit. It provides an overview of the visit, what women can expect during the visit, how to get ready for the visit, what screenings to ask for, and how they should follow-up with your provider post-visit.
The Problem. Women expressed fear in many contexts: fear of loss of confidentiality, fear of the content/results of the visit, fear related to lack of citizenship or immigration status, fear of being billed for services not covered or they could not afford, fear of being judged or stigmatized, and fear of invasive gynecological procedures performed by male providers.
The Response. Fear is a pervasive component of many women's healthcare experiences (Theme 10).
Recommendation
Resources
Well-Woman Provider Organizations Toolkit. This toolkit is for providers to get the word out about no-cost well-woman visit and includes information on how education and counseling services offered through this benefit can improve women’s health throughout her lifespan.
The Girls' Guide to Getting Some Privacy on Your Parents' Health Insurance. This resource provides one woman's experience with getting privacy on her parent's insurance plan. It provides women with steps to take and questions to ask their provider during their visit to ensure confidentiality.
How to Find Low-Cost Health Care in Your Community. This resource helps women to locate low-cost health care options in their community. It locates community health centers within a certain distance to the woman’s zip code.
5 Tips for Navigating Medical Care Without Health Insurance. This resource provides tips to women that may be under-insured or uninsured in navigating the healthcare system and obtaining the needed care.
Nurx: Birth Control Delivered to You. This resource is a phone app that can deliver birth control to you without a visit to a doctor or a pharmacy with or without insurance. The pricing starts at $15 a month and is available in 14 states.
Maven: Healthcare for Women. This resource is an app and a website that gives women access to medical professionals without having to make an office visit. Women can receive healthcare services such as contraception, mental health, and pregnancy and postpartum help. Women can choose to speak with a medical professional or choose to browse the many health-related forums.
LEMONAID: Healthcare. Refreshingly Simple. This resource is an app and a website that allows woman to receive a medical prescription without a visit to a medical provider. Women answer health questions which are reviewed by a medical provider and if approved, women can pick up their prescription at a local pharmacy. The “visit” costs $25 and women pay for their prescription at the pharmacy.
Well-Woman Visit. This resource provides women information on the purpose and content of the well-woman visit. It also provides information on insurance benefits and links to information on free preventive healthcare services.
What is preventive care? This resource provides women and their families with a list of preventive healthcare services that are free under the Affordable Care Act. It provides a list of services free for women, women and men, and women with certain health risks.
My Health, My Voice: A Women’s Step-by-Step Guide to Using Health Insurance. This resource provides information on Raising Women’s Voices health insurance guide for women. There are links provided in this resource for different health literacy materials, including a link to the health insurance guide.
Women's Preventive Services Guidelines. This resource provides a list of women’s preventive services covered under the Affordable Care Act. It also provides the HHS guideline for health insurance coverage for each preventive service listed, along with frequency of each preventive service.
Women's Health Care. This resource provides a number of helpful links for providers that perform annual well-woman care. Resource include the recommendations of the Women’s Preventive Services Initiative, well-woman recommendations based on age and risk factors, and additional resources.
Well-Woman Visits: 6 Things You Should Know. This resource is a list of 6 things women should know related to the well-woman visit. It provides information on the content and importance of the visit, as well as links to other helpful resources.
Where to Get It: Birth Control. This webpage offers a number of resources to help women obtain birth control. It lets women search for a health center by zip code, determine if they are able to get birth control delivered to their door, and where to find emergency contraception. It also provides a link for women to use to determine if they are eligible for free birth control.
Am I eligible? This resource provides information on the health insurance marketplaces and who is eligible to apply for health insurance in the marketplace. It also provides information on Medicaid, low-cost insurance options, and what can happen if you remain uninsured.
Choosing a plan. This resource provides information on how to choose a health plan that fits your specific needs. It presents three main questions to ask yourself before choosing a health plan.
How to enroll. This resource provides information on how to enroll into health coverage. This resource focuses on the 2016-2017 enrollment period, but the information is still relevant for women looking to enroll in the 2017-2018 enrollment period. It provides information based on state of residence, and also provides links to help women find an insurance navigator in their community.
Useful links: Health Insurance. This resource provides links related to FAQs on health reform, getting ready to apply for health insurance and health insurance basics (what are the different types of health insurance?).
Covered Women's Health Services. This resource provides a list of women’s health services that must be covered by your health plan no matter what state the woman lives in. It lists services that are always covered, sometimes covered, and how to determine if a service is covered by your insurance. It also provides a link to covered preventive health services for women.
Get your Well-Woman Visit Every Year. This resource provides women with information about the annual well-woman visit. It provides an overview of the visit, what women can expect during the visit, how to get ready for the visit, what screenings to ask for, and how they should follow-up with your provider post-visit.
The Problem. Some women reported being frequently unable to take their children to their appointments due to a lack of child-friendly clinics and/or being unable to obtain childcare in order to attend their healthcare appointments.
The Response. Lack of childcare and transportation are major impediments to accessing healthcare (Theme 9).
Recommendations
Resources
My Little Waiting Room: Drop-In Child Care at the Hospital. This resource describes a drop-in child care option that is currently available at select hospitals in Oregon. The resource describes why child care options at healthcare appointments is important and how My Little Waiting Room got started.
Nurx: Birth Control Delivered to You. This resource is a phone app that can deliver birth control to you without a visit to a doctor or a pharmacy with or without insurance. The pricing starts at $15 a month and is available in 14 states.
Maven: Healthcare for Women. This resource is an app and a website that gives women access to medical professionals without having to make an office visit. Women can receive healthcare services such as contraception, mental health, and pregnancy and postpartum help. Women can choose to speak with a medical professional or choose to browse the many health-related forums.
Biem. This resource is an app that gives women access to STI testing without having to make an office visit. Women can talk with a doctor via the app, receive STI testing supplies to test at home, and receive results via the app. Costs will depend on insurance and coverage.
LEMONAID: Healthcare. Refreshingly Simple. This resource is an app and a website that allows woman to receive a medical prescription without a visit to a medical provider. Women answer health questions which are reviewed by a medical provider and if approved, women can pick up their prescription at a local pharmacy. The “visit” costs $25 and women pay for their prescription at the pharmacy.
Where to Get It: Birth Control. This webpage offers a number of resources to help women obtain birth control. It lets women search for a health center by zip code, determine if they are able to get birth control delivered to their door, and where to find emergency contraception. It also provides a link for women to use to determine if they are eligible for free birth control.
The Problem. Women discussed having jobs that did not offer paid sick time, personal days, or vacation time which resulted in losing pay to see a healthcare provider. Women also discussed being unable to make traditional office hour appointments due to their inability to take time off during the day.
The Response. The healthcare delivery system is not woman-friendly (Theme 1) and Women's competing demands and priorities make accessing healthcare difficult (Theme 1).
Recommendations for Theme 1
Recommendations for Theme 2
Resources
Biem. This resource is an app that gives women access to STI testing without having to make an office visit. Women can talk with a doctor via the app, receive STI testing supplies to test at home, and receive results via the app. Costs will depend on insurance and coverage.
LEMONAID: Healthcare. Refreshingly Simple. This resource is an app and a website that allows woman to receive a medical prescription without a visit to a medical provider. Women answer health questions which are reviewed by a medical provider and if approved, women can pick up their prescription at a local pharmacy. The “visit” costs $25 and women pay for their prescription at the pharmacy.
National Partnership for Women & Families: Paid Leave. This resource provides information on paid family leave in the United States. It provides additional resources on how to advocate for paid family leave, current paid family leave laws in states, and innovative proposal to make paid family and medical leave available.
Where to Get It: Birth Control. This webpage offers a number of resources to help women obtain birth control. It lets women search for a health center by zip code, determine if they are able to get birth control delivered to their door, and where to find emergency contraception. It also provides a link for women to use to determine if they are eligible for free birth control.
The Problem. Non-English speaking women noted the lack of translational services and materials available in languages other than English which made it difficult or undesirable for them to seek care.
The Response. Relationships with providers are key to women's decisions about accessing care (Theme 4).
Recommendations
Resources
Appropriate Use of Medical Interpreters. This resource is an article that provides useful information as providers look for medical interpreters.
New 2016 ACA Rules Significantly Affect the Law of Language Access. This resource is an article that provides useful information about how section 1557 of the ACA addresses individuals with limited English proficiency. It describes how providers must offer qualified interpreters to individuals with limited English proficiency.
Summary: Final Rule Implementing Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act. This resource provides information Section 1557 of the ACA, which prohibits discrimination in health care programs and health care activities based on race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. It also discusses the availability of language assistance services to individuals with limited English proficiency.
Think Cultural Health: Advancing Health Equity at Every Point of Contact. This webpage provides a number of resources aimed at teaching health care professionals how to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services.
The Problem. Women discussed being at long distances from family members and having little to no local support network to draw upon to help with family-related tasks which increased stress and reduced their ability to be healthy or to seek health care.
The Response.Social support systems facilitate women's willingness and ability to seek care (Theme 8).
Recommendations
Resources
Nurx: Birth Control Delivered to You. This resource is a phone app that can deliver birth control to you without a visit to a doctor or a pharmacy with or without insurance. The pricing starts at $15 a month and is available in 14 states.
Maven: Healthcare for Women. This resource is an app and a website that gives women access to medical professionals without having to make an office visit. Women can receive healthcare services such as contraception, mental health, and pregnancy and postpartum help. Women can choose to speak with a medical professional or choose to browse the many health-related forums.
Where to Get It: Birth Control. This webpage offers a number of resources to help women obtain birth control. It lets women search for a health center by zip code, determine if they are able to get birth control delivered to their door, and where to find emergency contraception. It also provides a link for women to use to determine if they are eligible for free birth control.
The Problem. Many women serve in a multitude of roles, many of them involving caretaking. Women described the “second shift” and the competing demands of their work, family, and home duties which often prevent them from being healthy and seeking care.
The Response. Women's competing demands and priorities make accessing healthcare difficult (Theme 2).
Recommendations
Resources
Nurx: Birth Control Delivered to You. This resource is a phone app that can deliver birth control to you without a visit to a doctor or a pharmacy with or without insurance. The pricing starts at $15 a month and is available in 14 states.
Maven: Healthcare for Women. This resource is an app and a website that gives women access to medical professionals without having to make an office visit. Women can receive healthcare services such as contraception, mental health, and pregnancy and postpartum help. Women can choose to speak with a medical professional or choose to browse the many health-related forums.
Biem. This resource is an app that gives women access to STI testing without having to make an office visit. Women can talk with a doctor via the app, receive STI testing supplies to test at home, and receive results via the app. Costs will depend on insurance and coverage.
LEMONAID: Healthcare. Refreshingly Simple. This resource is an app and a website that allows woman to receive a medical prescription without a visit to a medical provider. Women answer health questions which are reviewed by a medical provider and if approved, women can pick up their prescription at a local pharmacy. The “visit” costs $25 and women pay for their prescription at the pharmacy.
Annual Well-Woman Exam Infographic. This resource provides providers, clinics, and communities with an infographic that can be used to promote the well-woman visit and its importance to women. This infographic can be printed and placed in clinic waiting rooms, exam rooms, health departments, or other frequently visited community locations.
Where to Get It: Birth Control. This webpage offers a number of resources to help women obtain birth control. It lets women search for a health center by zip code, determine if they are able to get birth control delivered to their door, and where to find emergency contraception. It also provides a link for women to use to determine if they are eligible for free birth control.
Reminders. This resource offers reminders for birth control and reminders for upcoming appointments. Utilizing text messaging or a cell phone app, women will be sent daily reminders for birth control and an appointment reminder a few days before the date of the appointment.
The Problem. Women described family and cultural barriers, specifically with respect to accessing sexual and mental health services. These perceptions and beliefs affected how frequently women sought care; some women documented using “home remedies” and self-care outside of formal medical settings to avoid seeing a provider.
The Response. Relationships with providers are key to women's decisions about accessing care (Theme 4).
Recommendations
Resources
The Girls' Guide to Getting Some Privacy on Your Parents' Health Insurance. This resource provides one woman’s experience with getting privacy on her parent’s insurance plan. It provides women with steps to take and questions to ask their provider during their visit to ensure confidentiality.
Maven: Healthcare for Women. This resource is an app and a website that gives women access to medical professionals without having to make an office visit. Women can receive healthcare services such as contraception, mental health, and pregnancy and postpartum help. Women can choose to speak with a medical professional or choose to browse the many health-related forums.
Biem. This resource is an app that gives women access to STI testing without having to make an office visit. Women can talk with a doctor via the app, receive STI testing supplies to test at home, and receive results via the app. Costs will depend on insurance and coverage.
It Matters. This resource is an app that makes it easier for youth and young adults to find health centers and health services in their community. It also gives youth and young adults access to health information related to reproductive health. This app attempts to eliminate the stigma associated with seeking sexual and reproductive health services and ensure confidentiality while giving young adults access to important health information.
Where to Get It: Birth Control. This webpage offers a number of resources to help women obtain birth control. It lets women search for a health center by zip code, determine if they are able to get birth control delivered to their door, and where to find emergency contraception. It also provides a link for women to use to determine if they are eligible for free birth control.
Think Cultural Health: Advancing Health Equity at Every Point of Contact. This webpage provides a number of resources aimed at teaching health care professionals how to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services.