As the United States faces a worsening maternal health crisis, recent federal Medicaid reforms risk deepening racial, socioeconomic and geographic disparities and limiting access to care for pregnant and postpartum individuals.
In a recent Health Affairs Forefront article, AcademyHealth’s Doula Research for Equitable Advances in Medicaid Pregnancy Health (DREAM) project staff outline the potential consequences of this loss of coverage and provides guidance for state policymakers to safeguard access to care, prioritize input from enrollees, and reduce preventable harm.
In “Medicaid Cuts Threaten Pregnancy And Postpartum Coverage, Access To Care, And Health,” AcademyHealth staff members Annaleise Johnson, Zoe D'Angelo, and Susan Kennedy highlight evidence from prior state-level Medicaid reforms and data from the DREAM project’s ongoing work and examine how new eligibility restrictions, financing reductions, and limits on coverage for immigrants could weaken care access for millions of pregnant and postpartum individuals. This could also exacerbate disparities in maternal outcome, especially in rural and underserved areas.
“Continuing Medicaid coverage for pregnant and postpartum individuals is critical, as the US continues to have the highest rate of maternal deaths of any high-income nation, with most of these deaths deemed preventable and occurring disproportionately among Black and Indigenous individuals.”
Their analysis underscores AcademyHealth’s leadership in translating health services research into clear, actionable insights for policymakers and the public. By connecting the expertise of health services researchers to the policymaking process, AcademyHealth continues to advance evidence-driven approaches to improving health outcomes for all.
Read the full Health Affairs Forefront article here.