Improving Maternal Health: Extended Medicaid, Doula Support, and Tobacco Tax Hikes.
This law aims to drastically improve healthcare for pregnant and postpartum individuals by mandating 12 months of continuous Medicaid/CHIP coverage and requiring dental services coverage. It establishes grants for mobile obstetric units in rural areas and funds programs to diversify the doula workforce and combat racial bias in healthcare. To support these efforts, the bill significantly increases federal excise taxes on all tobacco products.
Key points
Extended Health Coverage: Medicaid and CHIP coverage for pregnant and postpartum individuals must be extended to a full 12 months after the end of pregnancy (up from the current 60-day minimum in many states).
Mandatory Dental Care: States must cover essential oral health services for pregnant and postpartum women under Medicaid and CHIP for up to one year after delivery.
Higher Tobacco Prices: Federal excise taxes on cigarettes, roll-your-own tobacco, pipe tobacco, and smokeless tobacco are significantly increased, leading to higher consumer costs.
Rural Access and Doula Support: New grants will fund mobile obstetric units for rural communities and expand the training and availability of doulas, particularly in underserved areas.
Addressing Bias in Care: Regional centers will be established to train healthcare providers on implicit bias and cultural competency to improve care quality and reduce racial disparities in maternal mortality.
Introduced
Citizen Poll