Good health outcomes are forged by access to care. It’s no surprise that Texas, a state that has the highest number of uninsured residents in the country, also has abysmal maternal death rates.
The latest biennial report by the state’s Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee released last month details how 90% of maternal deaths analyzed might have been preventable.
The preliminary report analyzed a cohort of maternal deaths that occurred in 2019. Most trends from previous reports persist, while Black women and those without insurance continue to suffer most.
Texas lawmakers are set to return to the Legislature this week; maternal health care must be at the top of their list. Last session, the state Senate refused to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months, instead opting to revise the House’s bill to six months against policy recommendation of the maternal health review committee.
That was a major error in judgment. Data outlined in the report demonstrates that some 27% of pregnancy-related deaths occurred up to one year postpartum. The need for care doesn’t end after six months.
The report shows that our region, along with South Texas, had the highest rates of severe maternal morbidity in the state.
Extension of Medicaid in this case will not solve every maternal health problem, but it will go a long way toward addressing other health disparities that can exacerbate those struggles.
Legislators also need to provide funds for postpartum mental health screening, according to the committee.
The report also found that inadequate health care training often contributes to preventable deaths. The committee recommended implementing statewide education initiatives through the Department of State Health Services.
None of these recommendations are quick fixes, but they are serious policy recommendations that need attention in this upcoming session.
A mother’s health always affects the well-being of her children and family. Maternal death is tragic. Sometimes that reality is not preventable. But in many cases, it is. Texas is leaving too many women in a precarious, but preventable, circumstance because of short-sighted legislation.
Federal dollars are laying on the table. For the sake of Texas families, we need our lawmakers to push past ideology and accept them.
The Dallas Morning News
