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Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee highlights the need for improved maternal health care
On May 2, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing entitled, “What Can Congress Do to Address the Severe Shortage of Minority Health Care Professionals and the Maternal Health Crisis?”
In preparation for the hearing, the AMA submitted a Statement for the Record (PDF) which highlights the ongoing work that the AMA is doing collaboratively with members of the Federation of Medicine, including relevant specialty societies, key state medical associations and physicians from rural parts of the United States. In the Statement for the Record, the AMA highlighted recommendations (PDF) and advocacy materials for members of the Committee.
The AMA commends the HELP Committee for focusing on this critically important issue, which disproportionately affects Black and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) pregnant and postpartum individuals. As part of his opening statement, Ranking Member Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA), highlighted one of the AMA’s priority pieces of legislation in this space, the “Connected Maternal Online Monitoring Act” (PDF) (or the “Connected MOM Act”), which would require the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to send a report to Congress that identifies barriers to coverage of remote physiologic devices (e.g., pulse oximeters, blood pressure cuffs, scales, blood glucose monitors) under state Medicaid programs to improve maternal and child health outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women.
The AMA eagerly looks forward to working with Congress and the administration to continue the work in this critically important area, and to improve maternal health outcomes.
Learn more about the AMA’s advocacy, recommendations and initiatives to improve maternal health outcomes.
More articles in this issue
- May 17, 2024: Medicare Payment Reform Advocacy Update
- May 17, 2024: National Advocacy Update
- May 17, 2024: State Advocacy Update