If you know anything about me, you know that I’m passionate about protecting mothers from medical negligence.
The United States has long had a maternal mortality problem—and this week, Vice President Kamala Harris is advocating on behalf of mothers everywhere. The VP recently urged the Senate to “allocate an additional $3 billion for maternal healthcare and expand postpartum Medicaid coverage to one year as part of the proposed social safety net and climate package now before the Senate,” the LA Times reports.
For over 40 years, I’ve advocated for holding healthcare providers, outpatient facilities and hospitals accountable for preventable maternal deaths. The United States could prevent two-thirds of maternal deaths during or within a year of pregnancy. If this healthcare and Medicaid expansion passes, it could save thousands of lives.
Every year, the LA Times and CDC report, over 700 American women die of pregnancy complications. That might seem like a small number, until it’s your wife, sister, daughter or friend. It’s devastating to see a family suffer from a completely avoidable maternal death. The only thing we can do is make sure that they’re adequately compensated—and that it never happens again.
Kamala Harris urges Congress to protect maternal health
VP Harris is right: “In the United States of America, in the 21st century, being pregnant and giving birth should not carry such great risk.” If you’re a woman of color, the statistics are staggering: “Black mothers are three to four times more likely than white women to die of pregnancy complications. Native American women are twice as likely to die before, during or after childbirth.”
That first year postpartum is critical—but right now, states only have to provide 60 days of postpartum coverage under Medicaid.
The bill has passed the United States House, but it still needs to clear the Senate. Harris has also urged individual states to take action. California, for example, offers one year of postpartum care under Medi-Cal. It’s time for the federal government and individual states to step up and do the same.
White House Maternal Health Day of Action
The White House declared December 7, 2021 to be the first White House Maternal Health Day of Action. The briefing describes a number of partnerships with organizations and corporations, ranging from The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) to Lyft and Uber. Together, the goal is to ensure that we have enough time, money and resources to make a positive impact on maternal health and morbidity.
How to protect yourself
All of this advocacy is good news, but you need to protect yourself now. If you’re an expectant mother, the best thing you can do is follow my advice here.
It’s hard to overstate how important it is to take the “Life Saving Tips for a Safer Birth Checklist” to your physician and the hospital where you plan to give birth. Don’t take your health, or the health of your unborn child, for granted. Ask questions, demand answers, and don’t be afraid to find another provider—your life may depend on it.
If you’ve suffered from medical malpractice, birth injuries and other maternal morbidities, call me today
If you or a loved one have been affected by poor maternal and postpartum care, I can help and I’ll Make Them Pay!®. Your healthcare providers have a duty to take action to avoid preventable maternal deaths and injuries. We can work together to hold them accountable. I’ll use my 40 years of experience to make sure that you have justice and get fair compensation—and that we can stop it from happening to another victim.
Call me at 877.483.2298 and I’ll Make Them Pay!®
