Committee opinion no. 516: Health care systems for underserved women

Underserved women are those who are unable to obtain quality health care by virtue of barriers created by poverty, cultural differences, race or ethnicity, geography, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other factors that contribute to health care inequities. With passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Public Law 111–148 and 152, there is promise for increased health insurance coverage for underserved women. There is concern, however, that specific populations of underserved women may be left out. These women must continue to have access to existing safety net health care providers and to new models of care with systems that support integrated service delivery and improved care coordination.