The full plan, called the White House Plan to Address the Maternal Health Crisis, will be announced by Vice President Kamala Harris at an event in Plainfield, Illinois, according to senior administration officials familiar with the plans. Officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to talk about the plans before the event. Harris will be joined by a Congressional delegation that includes Sen. Dick Durbin, Rep. Lauren Underwood and Rep. Robin Kelly, all Illinois Democrats.
Officials said the plan was needed now more than ever because the Covid-19 has delved into an already existing crisis. Following the Supreme Court’s decision to revoke Roe v. Wade, much of the country will lose access to care in abortion, which is expected to worsen people’s health outcomes during pregnancy and childbirth.
“You know that these ongoing attacks, including restrictions on abortion, and even family planning, really undermine women’s ability to be safe and healthy. The administration strongly believes that the ability to choose when and how giving birth is essential, “an official said.
The US already has the highest maternal death rate in the developed world. Rates of serious injury and preventable health problems around the time of birth are also high compared to rates in other countries.
These deaths and injuries disproportionately affect blacks and Native Americans.
“Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women, and Native American women are more than twice as likely to die,” the official said.
Much of American rural areas have also lost access to obstetric care when their hospitals have closed and specialists have moved away, creating maternal care deserts.
“Women living in rural communities have a one and a half chance of dying from pregnancy-related complications, so we know this issue is of the utmost importance,” the official said.
The plan has five main objectives:
• Increase access to and coverage of health care
• Addressing health care biases so that women are heard and respected when they raise concerns
• Improve data collection
• Expand and diversify the medical staff that treats pregnant people
• Helping low-income women who do not have financial and social support before, during and after pregnancy
It addresses many of the recognized contributors to poor maternal health, including postpartum mental health problems such as depression and anxiety, lack of access to health care after birth, addiction, and substance abuse, poverty and racism and bias in health care.
The plan calls on Congress to expand Medicaid coverage. Medicaid covers 42% of all births in the United States, but in many states it only covers care for 60 days after a person gives birth to a baby. Fourteen states have expanded this coverage for an entire year. The vice president is expected to pressure Congress to make this a national requirement for all states.
“If all states did, we would see 720,000 women have coverage,” an official said.
The plan would strengthen the training of rural health care providers and fund training in implicit prejudice and racial discrimination.
A new mental health hotline is created that would care for pregnant women and women with babies.
And it will facilitate access to social services by facilitating enrollment in federal housing, child care and income assistance programs, an official said.
It also includes protections for mothers at work, including having access to breastfeeding rooms and breastfeeding breaks.
The vice president’s plan would be funded with $ 470 million allocated to the administration’s 2023 fiscal year budget.