A series of breakfast briefings that bring together leading healthcare providers, patients and policymakers to examine relevant issues in women’s health policy.
March 25, 2026
Rural Women’s Healthcare
Nearly 1 in 4 women in the U.S. live in rural or non-metropolitan areas, where they face higher rates of poverty and uninsurance, poorer maternal and infant outcomes, lower uptake of preventive screenings, and fewer options for obstetric and gynecological care, often requiring long and prohibitive travel times. These statistics are not only devastating but also reveal a healthcare system that too often fails to account for rural women’s realities and needs.
To work toward addressing these disparities, HealthyWomen convened a panel of rural health experts on Capitol Hill to discuss the challenges and opportunities to improve care for rural women.
Key takeaways
- Addressing rural health issues starts with building access through supporting workforce recruitment and retention
- Leveraging innovation to reach hard-to-reach communities, promoting financial sustainability for rural hospitals and essential care delivery (e.g., labor and delivery services)
- Ensuring that rural women have a seat at the table in decision-making rooms.
Moderator, Tania Calle, Health Policy & Advocacy Director, HealthyWomen
Panelists:
Christina Anderson, Founder, Runaway Train Productions
Christine Hamp, President, National Grange
Dr. Laurie Anne Ferguson, Nurse Practitioner, Professor at University of
Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, TX
Jeff Winton, Founder and Chairman, Rural Minds
Kathryn Haines, Health Equity Manager, Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy
Read our
op-ed on rural women’s health.
Dec 4, 2025
Prior Authorization
Women make 4 out of 5 healthcare decisions in the United States, which means they’re the ones primarily interfacing with health insurance plans and navigating prior authorization.
That’s why we convened a briefing focused on what’s happening and what’s on the horizon for addressing patient challenges with prior authorization, with an emphasis on expanding access to treatments for conditions that disproportionately affect women, such as migraine disease.
Key takeaways
- Prior authorization should not be a barrier to care.
- Reform is underway and meaningful progress is on the horizon.
- Collaboration between health plans and patient advocacy groups — especially groups that serve women and are led by women — is essential to improving access and outcomes for women and their families nationwide.
Moderator: Tania Calle, Policy Advisor, HealthyWomen
Panelists:
Julienne Verdi, Executive Director, Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy
Lindsay Videnieks, Executive Director, The Headache and Migraine Policy Forum
Kate Berry, Senior Vice President, Clinical Affairs & Strategic Partnerships, America's Health Insurance Plans
Randy Rutta, Chief Executive Officer, National Health Council
For more information on prior authorization reform, read our summary.
May 1, 2025
Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) Reform
We focused on the urgent need for comprehensive PBM reform.
Panelists shared insights from the patient, federal legislative, media and ethical PBM perspective — covering everything from the employer’s role to state-level differences and real-world patient impact.
A key takeaway? Patient advocacy groups and NGOs are the most trusted messengers — and essential to driving education, dialogue and reform.
Moderator: Meg Eckenroad, Senior Advisor, Health Policy, Innovation and Technology, HealthyWomen
Panelists:
Blake K. Thelander, Legislative Director, U.S. House of Representatives — Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D. (IA-01)
Charles Husser, Federal Affairs Manager, the Arthritis Foundation
Mike Stancil, Vice President of Strategic Alliances, AffirmedRx
Jerry Rogers, Editor, RealClearPolicy
For more on why PBM reform matters and what comes next, read our op-ed.
April 8, 2025
Maintaining Investments in New Innovation (MINI) Act
We gathered leading physician, patient and policy voices to discuss the importance of improving cardiovascular health in this country and how the MINI Act (H.R. 1672) is one way to support continued innovation and advancements in cardiovascular and other genetic diseases impacting women.
A key takeaway? Passing the MINI Act would support women’s health research and innovation.
Moderator: Beth Battaglino, RN-C, CEO, HealthyWomen
Panelists:
Hannah Spengler, Chief of Staff to Representative Don Davis, North Carolina's First Congressional District
Ashlie White, Chief Strategy and Programs Officer, Amputee Coalition
Ashira Vantrees, Director of Legal Strategy & Advocacy, Aimed Alliance
