OPINION |
by Sam McAninch, Springfield
Missouri has taken a step in the right direction with Medicaid expansion, but much more needs to be done to protect new mothers. Unfortunately, even with Medicaid expansion, mothers are only covered for 60 days in Missouri, which is simply not enough.
As a critical care nurse in Springfield, I know the U.S. leads the world's high-income countries in maternal mortality rates. As a woman and a mother, I am appalled by this fact. A 17 percent decrease in postpartum hospitalizations in states that expanded Medicaid coverage demonstrates the critical importance of access to affordable insurance for new mothers. When people think of maternal death, they picture mothers dying in childbirth. That isn’t the full story.
More than half of maternal deaths occur postpartum (after birth), making this a crucial period of time to receive care. One hundred and fifty women in Missouri lost their lives due to maternal complications between 2017 and 2019, 118 of those lives were lost between 43 days and one year postpartum.
This underscores the importance of expanding Medicaid coverage for a full year. By doing so, we could help ensure that new mothers have access to the care they need during this critical period and reduce the number of maternal mortality cases in our state.
In conclusion, I strongly urge your readers to join me in support of expanded Medicaid coverage for new mothers in Missouri. The lives of new mothers may depend on it. 2023 Medicaid Expansion Led To Reductions In Postpartum Hospitalizations