Racial and gender inequities in Massachusetts have contributed to a steep decline in maternal health, according to a new report. The Department of Public Health found that the number of mothers experiencing complications from pregnancy or delivery nearly doubled from 2011 to 2020 with severe morbidity rates for Black, non-Hispanic women now more than two-and-a-half times their white counterparts. Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. .
Texas is recognizing maternal health care is not just about doctor s visits, with a new law taking effect this fall to enhance screening for nonmedical needs. Housing, nutrition, transportation, employment and other factors play a significant role in poor infant and maternal outcomes. Brian Sasser, chief communications officer for the Episcopal Health Foundation, said new legislation will require Texas Medicaid to develop a standardized screening tool to help determine the nonmedical health needs of pregnant Texans and their babies. .
Sometimes, patients who call an ambulance end up getting stuck with a big bill because the ambulance company does not have a contract with their health plan. Assembly Bill 716 is designed to prevent surprise out-of-network bills. It passed the California State Assembly and is now making its way through the state Senate committees. .
A Connecticut group submitted a resolution to Hartford s City Council seeking to create more health equity at the city s hospitals and clinics. Make the Road Connecticut s resolution asks the council to work with community health providers to guide them on how to supply better services for the city s immigrant community. In Connecticut, 22-percent of residents age five and older speak a language other than English, according to U-S Census data. .
Advocacy groups in West Virginia are working to raise awareness about the end of COVID-19 pandemic-related protections that have triggered a new review of who is on the rolls. Sharon Carte, board president with West Virginians for Affordable Health Care, said according to the state bureau that handles eligibility, it appears that around 30,000 thousand people on Medicaid or CHIP have been retained. That s a 60% renewal rate. .