21 Sep HCTTF Joins Letter Expressing Support for Maternal Health Provisions Included in the Build Back Better Act
The Health Care Transformation Task Force joined 244 other organizations in a letter developed by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) expressing support and appreciation for the maternal health provisions included in the Committee on Energy and Commerce print of the Build Back Better Act. These provisions demonstrate the Committee’s commitment to addressing the nation’s maternal mortality crisis, which disproportionately impacts Black and Indigenous people, through bold policies that will help ensure that pregnant and postpartum people have access to critical resources, health care coverage, community-based and social supports, and high quality care.
Summary of maternal health provisions:
- A mandatory, permanent extension of postpartum Medicaid coverage, from 60 days to 12 months after delivery.
- Robust investments in programs that take steps toward birth equity by centering the voices, needs, and preferences of Black and Indigenous individuals, who disproportionately experience inequities in maternal health. Particularly, a focus on:
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- Investing in community-based organizations
- Addressing social determinants of maternal health
- Expanding the perinatal workforce
- Addressing the impacts of climate change on maternal and infant health
- Increasing community engagement in maternal mortality review committees
- Supporting targeted research at Minority-Serving Institutions
- Investing in maternal health
- Improving the provision of culturally congruent care.