Arkansas has the worst maternal and infant mortality rates in the nation, due to lack of access to care and poverty. However, new legislation known as the “Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Act,” sponsored by Rep. Aaron Pilkington and Sen. Missy Irvin, seeks to address these issues. The bipartisan bill aims to provide better access to pre- and post-natal care in order to save lives.
The bill requires Medicaid to cover depression screening, prenatal, delivery, and postpartum services, and more, while also increasing reimbursement rates for deliveries. However, it has been criticized for reducing the statute of limitations for birth injury lawsuits and not providing Medicaid coverage for 12 months postpartum.
Despite these flaws, the “Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Act” is seen as a step in the right direction for Arkansas’s maternal and infant health crisis. Additionally, Rep. Ashley Hudson has introduced HB1333, which requires insurance companies to cover lactation consultants, highlighting the bipartisan effort to improve health outcomes for mothers and babies in the state.
The passage of this legislation would represent an important milestone in addressing Arkansas’s healthcare disparities, and would set the stage for further improvements in maternal and infant health. The focus on incremental progress, one policy at a time, shows a commitment to ensuring the well-being of Arkansas families.
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