MSLGROUP and HealthyWomen Announce a Pro Bono Partnership to Give Women a Voice in Advocating for Continued Coverage of Women’s Preventive Care Services

WASHINGTON, D.C. - MSLGROUP, Publicis Groupe's strategic communications and engagement network, today announced the firm is joining forces with HealthyWomen, one of the nation's leading women's health organizations, to give American women a voice in the debate over legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. (ACA).

As part of the agency's commitment to corporate citizenship, HealthyWomen will receive pro bono public affairs support from MSLGROUP's Washington office to mount a national campaign that raises awareness of the 26 women's preventive health services now covered under most insurance plans and the importance to women, families and the health system of maintaining this coverage.

Called Keep the Care, the campaign will also equip the American public and women's health stakeholders with the advocacy tools to press lawmakers and insurers to ensure continued coverage of women's preventive care, such as Pap smears and mammograms, without a co-payment, co-insurance or a deductible.

"MSLGROUP welcomes the opportunity to work with HealthyWomen to inform and activate women as champions for their improved health," said Michael J. Petruzzello, Managing Director of Qorvis MSLGROUP, the firm's public affairs arm. "This partnership allows us to create an integrated public affairs and advocacy campaign that will elevate a policy issue that is important to the American public, the many women working at MSLGROUP and our clients whose brands touch women's lives."

Under current law, insurers now cover preventive care services and screenings for pregnant women, women of childbearing age and women in later stages of life. These services include: well women visits, contraception, Pap smears, mammograms, colonoscopies, HIV and HPV testing, breast feeding support and supplies, gestational diabetes screening, STD and urinary tract infection screenings, BRCA testing and breast cancer chemoprevention counseling, osteoporosis screening and tobacco use interventions.

"Empowering Americans to advocate for continued coverage of women's preventive services couldn't be more important to the health and well-being of women and families," said Beth Battaglino, a practicing registered nurse and CEO of HealthyWomen. "MSLGROUP's creativity and expertise will allow HealthyWomen to create the sense of urgency needed to put this issue on the public's radar. We are honored to work with MSLGROUP in support of better women's health."

"Prior to the ACA, more than 50 percent of women delayed seeking preventive care due to the cost, underscoring the need for advocacy to ensure women have continued access to guaranteed preventive health services," explained Phyllis Greenberger, HealthyWomen's Senior Vice President for Science and Health Policy. "Our objective for this campaign is to educate policymakers that preventive care promotes health and saves money, and should remain a covered benefit for all women."

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About HealthyWomen
For more than 25 years, HealthyWomen has inspired and empowered millions of women to take a proactive role in their health. A progressive and unique women's health not-for-profit, HealthyWomen combines a 24/7 online health media platform, www.healthywomen.org, with education and advocacy campaigns to help women make smart health choices for themselves and their families. The organization also reaches women directly through a strong network of women's centers, clinics, health care systems and other health-delivery partners across the country and serves as a voice for women in advancing policies that improve the health of women and families and address disparities in care for women across the health continuum

About MSLGROUP
MSLGROUP is Publicis Groupe's strategic communications and engagement group, advisors in all aspects of communication strategy: from consumer PR to financial communications, from public affairs to reputation management and from crisis communications to experiential marketing and events. With more than 3,100 people across more than 110 offices worldwide, MSLGROUP is also the largest PR network in Europe, fast-growing in China and India. The group offers strategic planning and counsel, insight-guided thinking and big, compelling ideas – followed by thorough execution.
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About Publicis Groupe - The Power of One
Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] is a global leader in marketing, communication, and digital transformation. Active across the entire value chain, from consulting to creation, and production, Publicis Groupe offers its clients a transversal, unified and fluid model allowing them access to all the Groupe's tools and expertise around the world. Publicis Groupe is organized across four Solutions hubs: Publicis Communications, Publicis Media, Publicis.Sapient and Publicis Health. These 4 Solutions hubs operate across principal markets and are carried across all others by Publicis One. Publicis One is a fully-integrated service offering making the Groupe's expertise available to all clients under one roof. Present in over 100 countries, Publicis Groupe employs nearly 80,000 professionals.
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Contact:
charlotte.fox@qorvismslgroup.com, +1 202 683 3132
michael.echter@mslgroup.com, +1 646 500 7914