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Article from: palmbeachpost.com

Point of View: Building a future for healthy mothers and babies

by Linda Geller-Schwartz

Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic over a year ago, we have repeatedly heard the same cliché that “we are all in the same boat.” Yet, the truth is that some of us have faced a much greater risk the whole time. One such group is pregnant women. Studies from around the world have shown that pregnant women, and especially pregnant women of color, are at higher risk of illness and death than the wider population.

In the United States, given our history, this is of particular concern. The U.S. spends more on health care than any other developed nation, yet our maternal mortality rate is the highest among these countries and appears to be getting worse. Moreover, in the U.S., Black women are two and a half times more likely to die of complications related to pregnancy than their white counterparts. The situation is not much better for Indigenous and Native Alaskan women. The pandemic has highlighted and replicated the injustice that is already embedded in our system.

The causes for racial and ethnic disparities in maternal and infant health are complex and interrelated. Social and economic factors play a major role. We also know that racism and inequity ingrained in the health care system directly impact outcomes. Even the chronic stress generated by poverty and racism has a serious impact on maternal health. Without granting full access to health care coverage before, during and after pregnancy, we will never reverse the trend in the U.S. and improve maternal health care.

There is so much we can — and must — do to correct the systemic disparities. First, we must acknowledge that most (about 60%) of all maternal deaths in the U.S. are preventable. Second, we must accept that the solutions need to be as multifaceted as the causes.

At the federal level, we should support the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, a suite of 12 bills introduced last month by U.S. Reps. Lauren Underwood and Alma Adams and Sen. Cory Booker. These bills take a broad and multi-layered view of the problem. One bill would make critical investments in social determinants of maternal health, such as housing, transportation, and nutrition. Others fund community-based health organizations working to promote equity and investments in telehealth that could improve outcomes especially in underserved areas. Two of the bills deal directly with COVID-19 circumstances and access to vaccinations. Enacting several of these bills would significantly improve maternal health in the U.S.

In Florida, one effective step that we can take is to adopt Expanded Medicaid. Other states that have expanded Medicaid have seen considerable declines in maternal mortality. This effect is even more pronounced for Black women. There are only 12 states that still refuse to recognize the substantial health benefits and economic advantages that would result from Expanded Medicaid. To encourage holdout states to adopt Expanded Medicaid, Congress included financial incentives in the recently passed American Rescue Plan that go beyond the 90% federal reimbursement rate. This could bring an additional $3 to 3.5 billion to Florida over a two-year period. Studies have shown that in states where Expanded Medicaid has been adopted, maternal mortality has been lowered for all women, including women of color. COVID-19 and the resulting economic downturn have only increased the need for Expanded Medicaid, with potentially 1.1 million additional Floridians being covered.

There is also a strong bipartisan backing in the Florida Legislature to extend Medicaid’s current period of postpartum care from 60 days to a full year — another important step we can take in our state. With the vocal support of House Speaker Chris Sprowls, the House Appropriations Committee has proposed an additional $239.8 million for the Medicaid budget ($92.9 million in state funding and the remainder in federal dollars) to fund this coverage. . State Sen. Lauren Book has a bill in the Florida Senate (SB238) to extend postpartum care. Its bipartisan support presents a rare opportunity for the Legislature to move swiftly.

The Covid-19 pandemic has put the U.S. health care system under the microscope. The inequities based on race, gender and economic circumstances have come into sharper focus. When we allocate resources and prioritize public health issues, as Congress did with the passage of the Affordable Care Act and states that expanded Medicaid, America is capable of great collective achievements. If we can muster the same level of support and wherewithal towards reproductive justice in our state, Floridian families will have brighter, healthier futures.

Linda Geller-Schwartz is the Chapter Leader of Zioness in Florida, a coalition of progressive, Zionist Jewish activists and allies.