Schakowsky Introduces Legislation to Address Black Maternal Health

WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Schakowsky, a Senior Chief Deputy Whip and Chair of the Energy and Commerce Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee, introduced H.R. 6137, the Innovative Maternal Payment And Coverage To (IMPACT To) Save Moms Act. This bill is one several included in the new, historic "Momnibus" package of legislation to address the Black maternal health crisis in the United States.

"Black women in Illinois are six time more likely to die from pregnancy-related conditions. We must hold our health care system and our medical professionals accountable for ensuring not just quality of care, but equity of care. This is a racial justice issue and we are obligated to do something about it," said Congresswoman Schakowsky, a founding Member of the Black Maternal Health Caucus. "I'm proud to introduce the IMPACT to Save Moms Act to create new maternity care payment models and ensure health insurance coverage for pregnant women. Innovative payment models and continuous insurance coverage will play a crucial role to reduce racial disparities in outcomes for moms and babies."

The IMPACT to Save Moms Act establishes a new Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services Innovation Center demonstration project to transform maternity care delivery and develops strategies to ensure continuity of health insurance coverage for women from prenatal care to one-year postpartum.

Representatives Lauren Underwood, Alma S. Adams, Terri Sewell, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Mary Gay Scanlon, Gwen Moore, Wm. Lacy Clay, Ro Khanna, Karen Bass, Al Lawson, and Ayanna Pressley joined Congresswoman Schakowsky as original cosponsors of the IMPACT to Save Moms Act. Senator Kamala Harris has introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

The bill has been endorsed by more than 50 leading maternal health organizations, including the Health Care Transformation Task Force; National Birth Equity Collaborative; Black Mamas Matter Alliance; Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP); U.S. Women's Health Alliance; Mamatoto Village Inc; Ancient Song Doula Services; National Perinatal Task Force; Commonsense Childbirth; Center for Reproductive Rights; Families USA; Black Women's Health Imperative; National Partnership for Women & Families; American College of Nurse-Midwives; Every Mother Counts; First Focus Campaign for Children; MomsRising; American Public Health Association; Mom Congress; America's Essential Hospitals; NARAL Pro-Choice America; Lamaze International; Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease; Sésé Doula Services; EverThrive Illinois; National Health Law Program; Community Catalyst; Jamila Taylor, Director of Health Care Reform and Sr. Fellow for the Century Foundation; Save The Mommies; National WIC Association; American Association of Birth Centers; African American Breastfeeding Network; APS Foundation of America, Inc; Society for Public Health Education; AllianceChicago; A Better Balance; Raising Women's Voices for the Health Care We Need; Power to Decide; Healing Hands Community Doula Project; HealthConnect One; Women's Health and Family Planning Association of Texas; SisterReach; Children's Defense Fund – Texas; BreastfeedLA; Children's HealthWatch; California Breastfeeding Coalition; Muslims for Progressive Values; Circle Up - United Methodist Women for Moms; Northern Illinois Church Of God In Christ; National Association of Professional and Peer Lactation Supporters of Color (NAPPLSC); Majaica, LLC & Save 100 Babies; United Ways of Texas; Jacobs Institute of Women's Health; Association of State Public Health Nutritionists; The Afiya Center; and Dem Black Mamas Podcast.

A fact sheet about the legislation is available HERE.

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