Action Alert - Keeping Current @ The Capitol
Contact members of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and ask them to vote YES on HB 1114 which extends Pregnancy Medicaid coverage from 2 months to 6 months following birth of a child for mothers to access critical postpartum care. They meet at 3:30PM today so please email them prior to 3:00PM!
Contact These Legislators
Please contact the members of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee which is voting on the bill today at 3:30PM.
Dear Senator ________,Please vote YES on HB 1114 when it comes before you in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee today. This bill extends Medicaid coverage from 2 months to 6 months following birth of a child for mothers for critical postpartum care. As you are aware, this is a primary recommendation of Georgia's Maternal Mortality Review Committee to address Georgia's maternal health crisis.Providing access to healthcare for new mothers can reduce Georgia’s maternal mortality rate and ensure better health outcomes for the babies, saving costs and lives in years to come. Additionally, adopting postpartum Medicaid for at least six months following delivery is especially important now, to support the physical and mental health of mothers and their newborns, who are dealing with additional stresses such as ill family members, job losses, and uncertainty about the effects of COVID-19 on maternal and infant health.Thank you for your service and for all you do for Georgia’s mothers and families.
Download our One-Pager
More than half of all births in Georgia are covered by Medicaid and by extending the period for postpartum coverage, the State has an opportunity to improve women’s health and birth outcomes. Specifically, we believe extending postpartum coverage would:
- Reduce maternal mortality
- Improve maternal health
- Promote early detection and treatment of postpartum depression and related mental health conditions
- Reduce the rate of low birthweight and preterm births (wrap-around services to prevent poor birth
- outcomes in future pregnancies)
- Reduce healthcare costs to the State
- Support reimbursements for care given in rural Georgia
Happy to help.
Email us with any questions at thecoalition@hmhbga.org. We will be down at the Capitol today advocating for this important measure!