Article Summary –
The Michigan House passed a bipartisan 10-bill package aimed at improving maternal and infant health, which includes requirements for insurers to cover blood pressure monitors, prenatal genetic screenings, and mandates for hospitals to share newborn health insurance information. The legislation also supports maternal mental health by mandating postpartum mental health screenings and aims to reduce maternal mortality, which was significantly preventable according to recent data. This package builds on initiatives like the state’s Healthy Moms Healthy Babies program and the Regional Perinatal Quality Collaborative, which work towards better birth outcomes and address medical biases.
The Michigan House of Representatives approved a 10-bill package on June 26 to enhance maternal and infant health.
The Democratic-led legislation — House Bills 4728, 5027 and 5166–5173 — received bipartisan support. The bills mandate insurance coverage for blood pressure monitors, prenatal screenings for genetic conditions, and require hospitals to inform new parents about newborn health insurance plans.
“Passing these 10 bills supports healthy pregnancies and the wellbeing of new parents and babies,” stated Amy Zaagman, Executive Director of the Michigan Council for Maternal and Child Health. “We must seize every opportunity to support better birth outcomes.”
According to the latest data from Michigan’s Maternal Mortality Surveillance Program, 442 maternal deaths were reported in Michigan from 2016-2020, with 74.5% deemed preventable.
The state has initiatives like Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Healthy Moms Healthy Babies to combat maternal mortality and medical bias against women of color.
The bills would formalize the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ Regional Perinatal Quality Collaborative, which aims to improve birth outcomes through collaboration with grassroots groups and stakeholders. The initiative has expanded care for babies born to mothers with substance use disorders and increased the state’s doula workforce.
The legislation includes mental health care provisions, requiring doctors to offer mental health screenings to new mothers and ensuring these screenings are part of postpartum services under the Social Welfare Act.
Research indicates that about one in seven women experience postpartum depression, commonly six weeks after childbirth. Symptoms can include anxiety, concentration issues, suicidal thoughts, and hallucinations.
Despite treatment availability, up to half of new mothers go undiagnosed due to privacy concerns, fear of abandonment, or lack of support.
“We must protect infants at risk,” stated Rep. Kristian Grant, a bill sponsor. “These bills ensure mothers are at their prime during this precious time and have the tools to engage with their child.”
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