Bill Overview
Title: Healthy Moms and Babies Act
Description: This bill establishes programs and requirements to support maternal health services under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), such as coverage options for maternity health homes, demonstration projects to expand telehealth services for pregnant and postpartum women, and agency guidance for states to address social determinants of health.
Sponsors: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Target Audience
Population: Pregnant and postpartum women relying on Medicaid and CHIP
Estimated Size: 2000000
- The bill targets maternal health services under Medicaid and CHIP, thus focusing on pregnant and postpartum women who rely on these programs.
- It includes programs like maternity health homes and telehealth services, expanding access to care for pregnant and postpartum women.
- Medicaid and CHIP primarily serve low-income families, so the population impacted will largely be low-income women who are expecting or have recently given birth.
- The global population of women giving birth annually is estimated at over 140 million, but many do not specifically rely on Medicaid or CHIP.
- Social determinants of health addressed by the bill would broadly impact women in socioeconomically disadvantaged conditions, thus mainly affecting low-income populations.
- Globally, many pregnant and postpartum women might face similar issues, but Medicaid and CHIP are U.S. programs.
Reasoning
- The Healthy Moms and Babies Act is designed to improve maternal healthcare services under Medicaid and CHIP, primarily targeting low-income pregnant and postpartum women who rely on these programs.
- A large portion of births in the United States is covered by Medicaid, meaning that the policy could potentially impact millions of women.
- The policy budget limits the scale of services, requiring prioritization of individuals who are most in need, particularly those facing significant barriers to accessing maternal healthcare.
- Given the policy's focus, women from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to experience a substantial impact in terms of access to and quality of care.
- Some individuals covered by Medicaid and CHIP might not see immediate changes due to logistical and policy implementation delays, whereas others might experience significant improvements in care and outcomes.
- There are diverse views within this population: while many will benefit directly from such policies, others may have concerns about implementation efficacy and whether it comprehensively addresses systemic health inequities.
Simulated Interviews
Waitress (Rural Kansas)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I really rely on Medicaid for my prenatal visits, and any extra support would be a huge relief, especially with telehealth options since clinics are far from my home.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Stay-at-home mom (Suburban Texas)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think expanding telehealth is a great idea. Time and travel costs for appointments are tough with kids. This bill could make things easier.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Graduate student (Urban New York)
Age: 25 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- More support for postpartum care would be incredibly beneficial. It’s hard juggling health coverage and my studies.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Unemployed (Rural Alabama)
Age: 42 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Though I'm not the primary beneficiary, improved Medicaid for mothers could indirectly benefit my family’s health access.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Retail worker (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 19 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The healthcare system is hard to navigate, especially for someone young like me. This policy could help simplify things.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Healthcare advocate (Chicago, IL)
Age: 31 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- My wife’s experience could massively improve with better Medicaid services as proposed. It's a logical step toward more equitable care.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Part-time student (Miami, FL)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Maternity health homes would be amazing, not only for medical care but for overall support during the postpartum period.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Freelancer (Seattle, WA)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Any enhancements to Medicaid would be welcomed. My worry is about long-term support — I’ve seen policies start strong but fade off.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Unemployed (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 24 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Any benefit increase in Medicaid is crucial for me right now. The current system leaves a lot to be desired.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 3 |
Community volunteer (Detroit, MI)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- From what I've seen, this policy could fill crucial gaps in maternal health services and make a real difference at the community level.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $1500000000 (Low: $1300000000, High: $1800000000)
Year 2: $1450000000 (Low: $1250000000, High: $1750000000)
Year 3: $1400000000 (Low: $1200000000, High: $1700000000)
Year 5: $1350000000 (Low: $1150000000, High: $1650000000)
Year 10: $1300000000 (Low: $1100000000, High: $1600000000)
Year 100: $125000000000 (Low: $105000000000, High: $155000000000)
Key Considerations
- Estimates rely on assumptions about the uptake of new services such as telehealth; changes in these assumptions could affect costs and savings.
- Effective implementation of guidelines addressing social determinants heavily depends on state-level execution, which can vary significantly.
- The longevity of savings depends on sustained policy efficacy, particularly regarding social determinants and preventive care impacts.