House subcommittees hold hearing on improving maternal, infant health

Two subcommittees of the House Education and Labor Committee today held a joint hearing titled “Expecting More: Addressing America’s Maternal and Infant Health Crisis,” which focused on strategies to reduce the nation’s maternal mortality rate and eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in maternal and infant health. The panel of witnesses comprised leaders of the March of Dimes, United States Breastfeeding Committee, and National Birth Equity Collaborative. Proposals included federal, state, and private sector approaches, such as: expanding Medicaid postpartum coverage; reducing cost sharing that prevents many women with insurance coverage from accessing necessary services; protecting pregnant women from discrimination in the workplace; addressing workplace barriers to breastfeeding; expanding access to paid family leave; and combating structural racism and implicit bias in health care settings. Maternal health is a high priority for AHA and its member hospitals and health systems. For more on how hospitals are working to advance better health for mothers and babies, visit https://www.aha.org/better-health-for-mothers-and-babies.