Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Wednesday announced a campaign aimed at improving maternal health in Arkansas.
At a morning press conference, Sanders signed an executive order creating a commission that will include some Cabinet members to develop a “comprehensive statewide strategic health plan.”
One of the goals of the plan is to connect more Arkansas women with health care providers before, during and after pregnancy, Sanders said. The plan also aims to promote care and coverage options for pregnant Arkansans and improve the state's collection of maternal health data, according to the executive order.
Sanders said the executive order directs state officials to immediately work to enroll all eligible Arkansans in existing health insurance programs that cover pregnancy and postpartum care, including the Medicaid program.
Sanders' announcement comes after he was criticized last month for saying he didn't think it was necessary to expand Medicaid postpartum coverage from 60 days to 12 months.
According to the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement, Arkansas has the highest maternal mortality rate in the nation and the third highest infant mortality rate.
Doctors say Arkansas' maternal health care landscape needs more coordination and teamwork
Of the roughly 35,000 births a year in the state, about 10,000 pregnant Arkansans don't receive medical care until after the first trimester, and 1,100 give birth, Sanders said. He has not been examined by a doctor until now.
“It's an education issue, not a reporting issue,” she said.
State officials on the committee include Human Services Secretary Christy Putnam, State Medicaid Director Janet Mann, Health Secretary Renee Mallory and Public Health Secretary Kay Chandler. The committee is required to report on its progress to Sanders within six months.
pilot program
More than half of all births in the state are covered by Medicaid, and Arkansas is one of only three states without Medicaid. federal options Extends postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to 12 months after birth. The 2023 bill would have expanded this coverage, but it never moved forward in Congress due to cost concerns.
sanders said in February “I'm not saying we need that additional level of legislation,” she said, because the state has other coverage options for low-income Arkansans postpartum. She reiterated that idea Wednesday, saying a Medicaid option “would create redundant programs.”
“It might make a good headline, but it doesn't actually solve the problem,” Sanders said. “That's because Arkansas already has resources for pregnant women beyond the ninth month of pregnancy…The solution is not to increase government programs. It’s about getting women to take advantage of it.”
The state's “continuing coverage” options for low-income postpartum Arkansans include piecework Medicaid, the ARHOME Medicaid Expansion Program, or “low-cost subsidized health plans in the federal health marketplace,” Putnam said. said.
“So far, we have not identified any real gaps in coverage. [10 more months of postpartum Medicaid] It's just duplication and not the best use of resources,” Putnam said. “But we also know that simply providing insurance won't make anyone healthy unless that insurance is used.”
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Five counties with the highest percentages of pregnant Arkansans who receive no maternal health care at all (Phillips, Crittenden, Scott, Garland, and Polk counties) will be eligible for the national pilot program created by Sanders' executive order. The focus will be on increasing access for pregnant women. Mallory said health care and coverage are important.
Mallory and Chandler said many pre-existing health problems, such as cardiovascular disease, can cause complications during pregnancy, and Arkansans need to be treated for these conditions before becoming pregnant. said.
Chandler, a practicing obstetrician-gynecologist, and Department of Health officials plan to conduct five research projects in the coming weeks “to share county-specific facts and data and begin a roadmap toward regional maternal success.” All counties will be holding regional meetings, Mallory said.
Sanders' executive order drew criticism from Janie Cotton, vice president of the Arkansas Democratic Party, at a party news conference late Wednesday.
Cotton said the order “lacks the depth and scope needed to significantly improve maternal health outcomes.”
She also pointed out the lack of racial and ethnic diversity among the women who attended Sanders' press conference, calling it a “photo opportunity.”
Study finds maternal mortality rate for black people in Arkansas has increased by 110% in 20 years
“Did you see yourself or your family attending the governor's press conference today? Certainly not,” Cotton said. “It's clear that maternal and child health for Black people, who have some of the worst conditions in the nation, is not a priority for this administration, and that's alarming.”
Rate of black women in Arkansas dying during childbirth or within 1 year after childbirth more than doubled from 1999 to 2019, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Additionally, black children in Arkansas consistently have poorer health from birth than children of other races. According to research Published in January by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
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