As Black Maternal Health Week 2021 comes to a close, Rod Hall, candidate in VA-HD-31, is releasing a legislative plan to address the Black maternal health crisis.

Yesterday via press release, Hall provided the following statement:

“The arrival of a newborn should be a joyful moment for a family. However, studies show that our country’s maternal mortality and morbidity rates amongst Black women remain alarmingly high.

Two years ago, on the afternoon of August 3rd as I anxiously awaited the arrival of my newborn daughter, complications arose during delivery that resulted in both my wife being admitted to an intensive care unit and my newborn daughter being admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit.  

Over the course of the next four days, I paced diligently from one wing of the hospital to the other as dedicated health professionals worked around the clock to save both of their lives. I will be forever grateful to the teams that helped save their lives.  

I am also thankful that I had health insurance that afforded us access to quality care, but I often think about what may have happened if we did not have that coverage. Could the outcomes have turned out differently?

That is why I am committed to tackling this crisis head on to ensure equitable access to quality healthcare for all women across the Commonwealth, and ensure that we are doing all we can to protect our Black mothers.”

His legislative plan consists of the following objectives:

1. Ensure Medicaid coverage is extended from two to twelve months to help minimize maternal mortality and morbidity among Black women
2. Preserve and strengthen Medicaid at large, ensuring our community’s most vulnerable have access to quality health care
3. Enact strong consumer protections against high out-of-pocket costs and “surprise billings”

“We have to ensure the health and wellness of women before, during, and after pregnancy.  

Currently, women who qualify for Medicaid are afforded coverage during pregnancy and for only two months after the birth. Lack of comprehensive health care is cited as the number one cause of death amongst women post pregnancy.  

He concludes his statement with, “As delegate, I will work to ensure coverage is extended from two to twelve months to help minimize maternal mortality and morbidity. Ensuring equitable access to quality healthcare for all women across the Commonwealth will be a top priority as your Delegate.”