SB 2212 handed the state Senate and has been transmitted to the Home.

On Wednesday, the Mississippi State Medical Affiliation held a press convention in help of Senate Invoice 2212, which seeks to increase postpartum Medicaid protection to 12 months.

Audio system on the press convention included:

• John Cross, MD, President of the Mississippi State Medical Affiliation
• Anita Henderson, MD, FAAP, The Pediatric Clinic/Hattiesburg Clinic Previous-President, Mississippi Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics
• Michelle Y. Owens, MD, MS, Maternal Fetal Drugs, Jackson, MS

Dr. Cross opened the press convention by saying they’re on the Capitol to deal with a problem that has garnered statewide and nationwide consideration. 

“It’s the safety of moms and infants by means of extension of Medicaid postpartum protection from sixty days to 12 months,” Dr. Cross mentioned. “As you recognize, Mississippi leads the nation with the very best toddler mortality charge, highest pre-term beginning charge, and the very best low beginning weight charge within the nation.” 

Twenty-nine states within the nation have prolonged Medicaid postpartum protection. This consists of Alabama, Louisiana and Tennessee.

“We have to do extra and do the proper factor for Mississippi mothers and infants,” Dr. Cross mentioned. “On behalf of the physicians of MSMA, we’d wish to thank Lieutenant Governor Hosemann, Senator Kevin Blackwell, and teh Mississippi State Senate for his or her management on this concern. We urge the Mississippi Home of Representatives to take a stand by bringing out and passing Senate Invoice 2212 to increase Medicaid postpartum protection from sixty days to 12 months.”

Dr. Anita Henderson agreed.

“This is a matter we actually speak about daily,” Dr. Henderson mentioned. “Prematurity, toddler mortality, and ways in which we may help mothers enhance their well being. I’m standing right here with physicians from throughout our state, now we have medical college students, now we have residents, all in help of twelve month postpartum care.” 

Dr. Henderson mentioned each main medical group in Mississippi helps twelve month postpartum care.

She additionally thanked Lawyer Normal Lynn Fitch who lately got here out with an op-ed in help of twelve month postpartum care. 

“Twelve month postpartum care has been supported by the Senate for 3 years in a row,” Dr. Henderson. “And actually final yr, this invoice got here to the Home and it handed by means of the Home Medicaid Committee. Nonetheless, it was not introduced up for a full vote.”

Dr. Henderson mentioned they’re asking Speaker of the Home Philip Gunn to permit Senate Invoice 2212 to be introduced ahead for a vote by the Home of Representatives. 

“This isn’t a Republican versus Democrat concern, it’s not a crimson state versus a blue state concern, it’s actually not proper versus left,” Dr. Henderson mentioned. “It’s a proper versus unsuitable concern.”

“Twelve month postpartum look after eligible mothers on Medicaid advantages moms by offering them the care and entry to well being care in between pregnancies,” Dr. Henderson mentioned. “Historically, mothers on Medicaid lose that protection at sixty days. So after sixty days, they don’t have choices accessible.” 

Dr. Henderson mentioned that as a pediatrician, she has seen that moms after sixty days are affected by issues reminiscent of postpartum despair, hypertension, Cardiomyopathy, “all this stuff that occur properly past that sixty day mark.” She mentioned that’s what postpartum care is right here to deal with. 

“What I need folks to grasp is that the primary yr of lifetime of our infants, their mind doubles in dimension. It doubles in dimension that first yr of life,” Dr. Henderson mentioned. “And in order that’s why it’s so necessary to supply this care for his or her moms. Infants want their moms and their moms want healthcare.” 

Dr. Henderson mentioned 15% of infants in Mississippi are born prematurely, the very best charge within the nation. 

“The Division of Medicaid has estimated that twelve month postpartum care would value our state between $6 and $7 million per yr,” Dr. Henderson mentioned. “Our finances for the state of Mississippi for subsequent yr is estimated at round  $7 billion. Postpartum care would value 0.1% of the state finances.”

Dr. Henderson mentioned 65% of infants in Mississippi are born to mothers on Medicaid. She mentioned we’re speaking about one thing that impacts over 20,000 infants, moms, and households in Mississippi yearly. 

“So the return funding is big,” Dr. Henderson mentioned.

“Each medical group helps this and actually, the Mississippi Financial Council additionally helps this,” Dr. Henderson mentioned. “We all know that Mississippi requires a wholesome workforce and twelve month postpartum care would assist these mothers.”

“Mississippi considers itself to be a pro-life state,” Dr. Henderson mentioned. “We can’t simply be pro-birth, we actually should be pro-mom, pro-family, and pro-child.”

Dr. Michelle Owens then defined that the USA is presently experiencing a “maternal well being disaster.”

She mentioned the state’s growing maternal mortality charges have been underneath scrutiny for the previous few years. 

“We additionally perceive that gaps in healthcare protection, notably in our Medicaid inhabitants, are a big contributor to the poor maternal well being outcomes that we see,” Dr. Owens mentioned.

She mentioned in her profession, she has seen first-hand the transformative capability of Medicaid protection for these people who don’t have entry to well being care. 

“It might not change the situation or proximity to a supplier, however simply to have the ability to know that the monetary barrier has been eliminated for them to deal with lots of the issues that these of us right here may take as a right, means all the pieces to these recipients,” Dr. Owens. 

Dr. Owens mentioned 42.5% of the being pregnant associated deaths that we see in Mississippi, based on their final report, happen after that sixtieth day of Medicaid protection. She added that the CDC defines the postpartum interval as lasting a full twelve months after beginning.

“The extension of protection can imply all the pieces to a brand new, rising household,” Dr. Owens mentioned. “I do know from my apply that sufferers don’t cease having issues and complaints after their Medicaid protection has ended.”

“So to place it merely, Mississippi mothers can’t wait,” Dr. Owens mentioned. “And Mississippi has waited lengthy sufficient.”

Senate Invoice 2212 handed the Senate and has been transmitted the Home.

Following the press convention, Speaker Gunn informed WAPT as soon as once more that he and Home GOP caucus weren’t for Medicaid extension and postpartum is a bit of that pie.