Women’s Health – HealthSherpa Blog

Women’s Health

Does health insurance cover IVF?

Between 1-2 percent of all babies born in the United States each year are conceived with the help of in vitro fertilization (IVF). IVF is a form of assisted reproductive technology (ART) in which egg and sperm are combined outside…

What you need to know about pre-existing conditions and health insurance

Are you worried about paying higher premiums for health insurance as a result of a medical condition you currently have or have had in the past? If so, you don’t have to be. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, health insurance companies…

What types of preventive care services are available for women?

As a woman, figuring out your healthcare options and understanding the services available to you is a vital part of your preventive care. Thankfully, an important provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires that Marketplace plans cover certain preventive services for American women. This includes check-ups and routine screenings,…

Which preventive care services are included in your Marketplace plan?

Prior to the Affordable Care Act, many people went without preventive health coverage. Now that no longer has to be the case. Every health insurance plan must cover a handful of essential health benefits including preventive care. That means, if you sign up for a health insurance plan through the…

What can I do to reduce my risk of breast cancer?

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and we want to raise awareness about the disease. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in the U.S. It’s the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. after…

What to consider when choosing a health insurance plan

There are many decisions in life that can be incredibly stressful. They require a lot of Googling, consulting with friends or family, and in the end we’re still left wondering, did I make the right choice? Choosing a health insurance…

6 ways to practice mindful eating

The mindfulness movement has gone mainstream over the past few decades. Meditation classes have cropped up in studios, offices, and schools, mindful listening is taught to parents and in workplaces, and mindfulness-based interventions are used in therapy. It’s also become…

How to stay safe in the sun: have a sun safe summer

The weather is warm, the days are longer and there’s more time to be outdoors doing all kinds of fun activities! If you find yourself spending a lot of time outside, it’s important to stay safe in the sun now…

8 heart disease facts everyone should know

Every year, 630,000 people in the United States will die from heart disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—that’s 1 in every 4 deaths. The term “heart disease” refers to several types of heart conditions, the…

What you need to know about domestic violence and the ACA

Each year, more than 10 million women and men in the United States are physically abused by an intimate partner, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV). Experiencing domestic violence is correlated with poorer physical and psychological health,…

20 LGBTQ+ Healthcare Resources You Should Know About

My name is Cat Perez, and I’m the Co-founder and Chief Product Officer of HealthSherpa, a platform and team of people helping individuals find, enroll in, and use quality, affordable health coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Personally, I’ve struggled with…

15 tips to boost your mental health

Mental health is defined as a state of emotional, psychological, and social well-being. To be in prime mental health means being able to work productively, maintain healthy relationships, navigate stress, bounce back from adversity, contribute to society, and realize your…

Understanding depression – what everyone should know

More than 300 million people around the world suffer from depression, according to the World Health Organization, making it one of the most common mental disorders and the leading cause of disability. Given its prevalence, here are some things everyone…

How to reduce your risk of ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer affects thousands of women and their families globally as one of the most fatal female cancers. In working towards a cure, it’s important for more women to become aware of the incredible danger that ovarian cancer poses. In…

Spreading the word: why we need to talk about mental health

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, but it’s important to talk about mental health all year round. In large part, this is connected to the societal stigma that has plagued mental illnesses. But this topic is about more than just…

10 cancer prevention tips to reduce your risk

More than 1.7 million people in the United States are expected to be diagnosed with cancer in 2018, according to the American Cancer Society. Women have a 37.6% lifetime probability of being diagnosed with cancer, while the number is 39.7%…

How health insurance reduces the burden of cancer

Finding a health insurance plan that works best for you can be an overwhelming task. With the number of cancer diagnoses predicted to rise about 70% worldwide over the next couple decades, in addition to rising cancer treatment costs, quality…

8 ways to deal with stress and anxiety

With taxing jobs, complicated relationships, unexpected situations, and everyone’s seemingly perfect life on social media, life can sometimes get pretty stressful. While stress can help some people perform under pressure, too much stress can negatively impact your mental and physical…

What every woman should know about her fertility

While sex ed classes cover the dos and don’ts of not getting pregnant, most women don’t get an extensive education on the flip side of fertility. Whether you know you want kids as soon as possible or you can’t escape your…

10 things you should know about STIs

Each day, more than 1 million sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are acquired, according to the World Health Organization. But having an STI or an STD (sexually transmitted disease) doesn’t have to ruin your life. Here are 10 things you should…

5 ways to prepare for your childbirth

There are the cute pregnancy announcements and the doting baby showers, but while pregnancy comes with its joys, the thought of actually giving birth can make some women anxious, especially if they’re first-time mothers. Making a plan in advance can…

Your guide to a healthy pregnancy

Congratulations on your pregnancy! In this article, we highlight important tips to keep both you and your baby healthy during this time. We also created a FREE pregnancy checklist to make things a little easier for you. You can print and…

The advances in women’s healthcare over the last 100 years

For several decades women have battled and continue to battle for equality — not just educational, societal, and occupational opportunities but for improved and increased access to quality healthcare. Over the past century, the battle to bring women’s healthcare to…

Is birth control covered under the Affordable Care Act?

In the past, many health insurance plans did not cover contraceptives for women which often meant going without them. In 2011, President Obama signed the birth control mandate into law as part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Since the birth control mandate came into effect, the number of…

Mental health care and the Marketplace: what you need to know

More recently, mental wellness and options for care have come to the forefront of larger conversations around health in America. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), coverage for mental health has expanded extensively, with abundant opportunities for care now…