Senator Murray has long been a leading Congressional champion of efforts to expand health care, improve access to care for pregnant women
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA)—a former chair and senior member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee—joined Senator Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) and Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D, NJ-12) to introduce the Healthy Maternal and Obstetric Medicine (MOM) Act. The Healthy MOM Act would ensure that all women eligible for coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) insurance marketplaces, as well as women eligible for other individual or group health plan coverage, can access affordable health care coverage throughout their pregnancies. The bill would establish a special enrollment period (SEP) for expectant mothers. Currently, marriage, divorce, having a baby, adoption, and changing jobs are considered qualifying life events that trigger a special enrollment period; however, becoming pregnant is not considered a qualifying event. The Healthy MOM Act would change that.
“When a woman gets pregnant, she should be able to enroll in or change health coverage, no matter what time of year it is. But right now, pregnancy isn’t a qualifying life event—and that blocks women across the country from signing up for health coverage when they find out they’re expecting, or changing plans for coverage that better meets their needs,” said Senator Murray. “Our Healthy MOM Act will fix this gap and take a small but important step to help more women get the prenatal care they need to stay healthy.”
“We have a responsibility to ensure pregnant women have access to the best health care. The Healthy MOM Act would trigger a special enrollment period so expectant mothers can get critical health care coverage for themselves and their baby, building on the example of my own state of Maryland. As Republicans try to rip away health care from Americans, including mothers, I’m proud to fight back and partner with Congresswoman Watson Coleman to expand access to affordable care for new mothers,” said Senator Alsobrooks.
“Events like the birth or adoption of a child, marriage, divorce, or even moving to a new state all trigger a special window to get or change your health insurance. Meanwhile, pregnancy, one of the most life-altering events a mother can experience, doesn’t,” said Congresswoman Watson Coleman. “We’re dealing with maternal mortality rates that are, in some places and among some groups, worse than developing nations. It is inexcusable that the United States, the wealthiest nation on Earth, has such a high maternal mortality rate. Ensuring every woman can access the care she needs during pregnancy and after giving birth is a critical part of ending this crisis. This is a simple, logical way to make sure that happens.”
The Healthy MOM Act is endorsed by Chamber of Mothers, Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, National Partnership for Women and Families, MomsRising, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and March of Dimes.
In addition to Murray, Alsobrooks, and Waston Coleman, the legislation is cosponsored by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR).
The full text of the bill can be found HERE.
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