President Donald Trump signed the continuous law and additions law for the whole year (referred to as CR) in the law during the weekend, after approved by the House of Representatives and the Senate. This law extends government financing until September 30, 2025, and It prevents closureBut it is very important to not overlook the long -term budget decision approved by the House of Representatives on February 25, 2025, which may seriously affect the health and welfare of mothers and infants throughout the country.
CR deals in the short term, but the long -term budget remains the primary goal of the majority in the House of Representatives, with the aim of reducing federal spending by $ 1.5 trillion over the next decade. The most aspect of this decision is to direct it to the Energy and Trade Committee in the House of Representatives to determine $ 880 billion of savings, making significant discounts in the financing of Medicaid very possible. Although the decision does not explicitly reduce these cuts, the goal of the fundamental savings strongly indicates that medicaid is the primary focus.
Medicaid is the cornerstone of the mother’s health care, and provides coverage Nearly two -thirds It is women of childbearing age and financing 42 % of all births in the United States. If the Federal Medicaid financing is reduced, the states will be forced either to increase revenues or reduce medicaid programs. This may lead to low coverage of pregnant women and postpartum, limited benefits, and reduce service providers, while all states compete with slowing the growth of revenues and challenging the preservation of balanced budgets. These cuts come at a time Reproductive rights are restrictedForced more women to pregnancy in the term pregnancy while weakening the health care infrastructure simultaneously for safe childbirth and care after birth.
A brief history of health care and health care for the mother
When Medicaid was created in 1965, it was not originally designed to cover pregnant women. In the first place, the program served children, the elderly and persons with disabilities, leaving millions of low -income adults, including women of childbearing age, without obtaining health care at reasonable prices. It was not until the 1980s and nineties of the last century, as Medicaid began to expand the eligibility of pregnant women in response to increasing concerns about the mother and infant deaths. By 1990, all states were required to cover pregnant women It reaches at least 133 % of the level of federal poverty.
“If the Federal Medicaid financing is reduced, the states will have to either increase revenues or reduce medicaid programs.”
However, a big gap remained – many women lost the coverage of Medicaid after just 60 days of birth, leaving them an insured at a time when postpartum complications, mental health conditions, and medical needs are more urgent. In 2010, ACA assisted in dealing with these issues by expanding Medicaid, allowing more low -income women to qualify for continuous coverage before, during and after pregnancy. However, until then, Medicaid coverage after birth is still ending in 60 days for many women who have no strict income interviews in Medicaid.
In recognition of the variations in the results of the mother’s health, the American Rescue Plan (ARP) has provided an extension of the 12 -month post -birth coverage of the beneficiaries of Medicaid and Chip, allowing the states to enhance health care for mothers after the postpartum period that was previously assigned. This extension aims to reduce pregnancy-related deaths-50 % of them in the postpartum period-and improve the management of chronic cases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, Drug use disordersAnd depression. Studies indicate that countries that expand Medicaid coverage after birth The increase in postpartum care visits were reportedA greater continuity of coverage, improving participation in health care services.
However, if Medicaid’s financing is reduced, many states may be forced to reduce or eliminate this expanded coverage, and to return to the previous postpartum period for 60 days. This would leave millions of women who are not believers at a critical time when they are subject to postpartum depression, infections, high blood pressure, and other life -threatening complications. There are also concerns about how states are covered for pregnant women as a whole if medicaid is dramatically reduced.
The expansion of medical aid reduced mothers’ deaths
Multiple studies have confirmed that the expansion of medical aid under ACA led to a significant decrease in maternal mortality rates. The countries that adopted the expansion of medical aid have witnessed 7.01 deaths less than mothers per 100,000 live births compared to the non -medium states, with More discounts Among the non -Latin black women.
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In general, Medicaid’s expansion has been linked with prenatal prenatal care, high post -birth visit rates, and a better continuity of care, which is Decisive in reducing complications That contributes to the mother’s deaths. Medicaid financing deficiency can reflect these life -saving gains, which exposes more mothers to the risk of pregnancy -related deaths.
Cross of closing rural hospitals
Since 2010, More than 500 rural hospitals have been closed Their work and delivery units, leaving more than 52 % of American rural hospitals without obstetric services. In ten states, less than a third of rural hospitals offer maternity care, leading to the emergence of maternity care deserts-areas where women should travel to long distances for birth, delivery and care after birth.
The closure of these facilities increases the mother’s health by forcing pregnant women to travel more, which increases the risk of premature birth, low weight weights, and mother deaths. Studies have shown that the loss of local generation services is Located with births outside the hospital And the poorest birth results. With proposed medical cuts, this closure may accelerate, making it difficult for women to reach safe motherhood care.
A crisis of waving on the horizon: the mood about birth and anxiety disorders
One in five women suffering from mood disorders and anxiety in the period surrounding birth, also known as Depression after birthAnd medicaid is The main motivation for mental health care after birth.
The crisis will only be deepened, according to Paige Bilbanum, LCSW, Assistant Professor at Silberman College of Social Work and a former member of the Mothers Matters Committee and New York City, where more mothers are forced to give birth without access to comprehensive care for reproductive health – both mental or material. Bellenbau warns that without sufficient care after birth, the country will likely see an increase in mother suicide and long -term health complications for both mothers and children. It also confirms that these challenges will continue through generations, Doubing economic instability and expanding health differences.
Wide domain and preventive damage
There is already a need to improve reproductive health services for women all over the country. If 40 % of pregnant women depend on medicaid to obtain reproductive health care, where will they be born and get postpartum care if you lose coverage and rural hospitals continue to close? If the countries force women to pregnancy in the period while lowering medicaid, they are created with a greater health crisis of motherhood that will lead to more mother and infant deaths.
Cut Medicaid unlike years of progress in health care and post -birth, which leads to high death rates, mental health exacerbation, increased hospital costs, and deepening economic difficulties for families throughout the country. There will be no savings in costs-only long-term damage to every aspect of our society, where families are struggling, healthy discounts, and economic instability grows.
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