Murray On Maternal Health, Health Equity in Build Back Better Framework
Build Back Better would support over 100,000 maternal health workers, help over one million patients get maternal health care over the next decade
Framework would also address inequities in health care, diversify the health care workforce, and bring health providers to underserved communities
Senator Murray released a report on health equity last year with recommendations to improve care for communities of color
Murray: “This bill will help expecting parents get the care they need.”
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement on the funding included in the Build Back Better framework to improve maternal health and address inequities in health care.
“After years of pressing for action to address our high maternal death rate and the racism that makes crises like this so much worse for people of color, I’m pleased to say this bill will help expecting parents get the care they need. Build Back Better takes long overdue steps to increase access to maternal care, support maternal mental health, and build the maternal care workforce. It also takes steps to more broadly improve health equity by promoting diversity in our health care workforce, and supporting health care programs that focus on reaching underserved communities. The pandemic made clearer than ever how urgently we need these policies—and this is our chance to make them a reality.”
An analysis from the New Century Foundation found that Build Back Better’s provision providing a year of post partum care for Medicaid patients could help over a million new mothers get care they need over the next 10 years, and other provisions of Build Back Better would support over 100,000 maternal health care professionals.
The Build Back Better framework also takes other steps that promote maternal health and health equity including:
- Supporting mental health and substance use disorder programs, and maternal mental health;
- Increasing diversity and representation in the health care workforce;
- Supporting programs that bring health care providers to underserved communities;
- Strengthening public health departments.
Senator Murray has been a staunch advocate for policies to address health inequity and invest in maternal care for every new parent. She released a report last year outlining how the American health care system has failed communities of color due to entrenched bias, discrimination, and racism. Her policy recommendations to address health inequity within the U.S. health care system informed both the American Rescue Plan and Build Back Better. Earlier this year she advanced several maternal health bills through the HELP Committee, and she has repeatedly secured increased investments to improve maternal health over the years.
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