Latest Releases
Sen. Smith joins Dem Women’s Caucus, House and Senate Democrats, in Demanding Health Insurers Fully Cover Birth Control, As Required by the ACA
Washington, DC — Today, Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), along with Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC) Chair Lois Frankel (FL-22), Reps. Ayanna Pressley (MA-7), Kathy Manning (NC-6), and Judy Chu (CA-28), led over 150 House and Senate Democratic colleagues in urging health insurers to fully comply with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) contraception coverage requirement. Specifically, the members urged insurers to adopt a “therapeutic equivalence standard” ensuring coverage—without cost sharing—of every FDA-approved birth control product that does not have a therapeutic equivalent (generic). The letter comes after years of systemic noncompliance by insurance plans, forcing women to pay out of pocket or face administrative red tape to access the birth control that works best for them. “We write to express our concerns that your members are not complying with the Affordable Care Act contraception coverage requirement, and to urge them to consider immediate adoption of the therapeutic equivalence standard outlined by the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury on January 22, 2024,” wrote the lawmakers in a letter toAmerica’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP)—whose membership includes major health insurers across the country—and UnitedHealth Group. Despite the ACA’s protections, the members outlined how multiple investigations—including by the House Oversight Committee, “have revealed that plans routinely violate the ACA by refusing to cover certain products, imposing administrative hurdles like prior authorizations and step therapy (fail first protocols), and requiring patient cost-sharing.” In response to these violations, the Biden Administration recently released additional guidance, outlining a standard that requires coverage
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce New Childcare Facility in Luverne
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN), a member of the Senate Education Committee, announced federal funding they secured last year to renovate a vacant facility in Luverne, Minnesota into a childcare center has been disbursed. The project will help the city purchase and renovate a facility into a new center that will accommodate 186 infants, toddlers, preschool, and school-age children. The renovated space will also accommodate staff and administrative spaces, a gymnasium, and food preparation kitchen. “Too often I have heard that parents around the state, including in Rock County, have difficulty finding safe, reliable, and affordable child care in their communities,” said Senator Klobuchar. “We worked to secure a federal grant for Luverne to open a new child care center to serve hundreds of kids and expand options for parents.” “With few options for childcare in this area, working families are put in a serious bind. How can parents work without a safe, affordable place for their kids to go while they are at work?” said Senator Smith. “Luverne is leading the way in creating a community young families will want to live in, and this new facility is a testament to their hard work.” Rock County has over 350 kids below the age of five who need childcare, but capacity for just 240 of them, according to First Children’s Finance. Over the last ten years, almost half of the nearly 60 home child care providers in Rock County have left the field or retired. For some families, it makes more financial sense stay home rather
In Senate Floor Speech, U.S. Senator Tina Smith Outlines to Minnesotans Why She’ll Vote to Remove President Trump From Office
WASHINGTON, D.C. [02/04/20]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) took to the Senate floor to let Minnesotans—and all Americans—know why she’ll vote to remove President Trump from office. In her speech, Sen. Smith shared her position on this historic vote, and looked ahead to continuing the work of reinforcing the American values of fairness and justice. Sen. Smith’s remarks follow her penning an op-ed in the Star Tribune sharing how she arrived at her decision after serving as an impartial juror during the impeachment trial. “While evidence of the President’s wrongdoing is substantial, I advocated every way I could for a trial that would be fair
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Urges Immediate Action to Control Spread of Coronavirus
WASHINGTON, D.C. [02/03/20]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) is calling on the leaders of the Senate Appropriations Health Subcommittee to quickly provide emergency funding to the depleted Public Health Emergency Fund (PHEF) so that state and local health departments aren’t overwhelmed by the emerging coronavirus outbreak. Sen. Smith—a member of the Senate Health Committee—says that PHEF, a critical source of funding for public health emergencies, was depleted in 2012. “Though our federal public health response has been adequately surveilling, screening, and testing for the virus, now is the time to ensure that our states and localities are equally prepared to respond,” wrote Sen. Smith. “As this emergency response evolves, states and localities may foot the bill for medical screening, countermeasures, deployment of
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Continues Fight to Strengthen Workers’ Rights and Wages
WASHINGTON, D.C. [02/3/20]— U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) helped introduce a bill to prohibit states from passing “right-to-work” laws that make it harder for workers to form unions, fight for higher wages and push for better working conditions. Right now, under “right-to-work” laws, some members are not paying dues despite the fact that they benefit from a union. This is draining key resources used by unions to fight for workers’ rights. “I believe that workers have a fundamental right to join together for fair wages, benefits and improved working conditions,” said Sen. Smith. “But right now, so-called ‘right-to-work’ laws are undermining workers’ ability to join together to fight for better pay and working conditions. It’s time
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Announces Duluth Mayor Emily Larson as State of the Union Guest
WASHINGTON, D.C. [01/30/20]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) said that Duluth Mayor Emily Larson will be her guest at the President’s State of the Union Address on Tuesday, February 4 in Washington, D.C. Sen. Smith made her first stop in Minnesota as Senator in Duluth, alongside Duluth Mayor Larson. Since then, Sen. Smith and Mayor Larson have worked together on many issues, including the need to support and create affordable housing. The two understand that as new jobs are created, the people who fill them need an affordable place to live. Duluth—like many communities across the state—is taking steps to address this.
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