HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — The federal budget bill championed by President Trump is before the U.S. Senate, and it could include changes to Medicaid that would prevent women from receiving early prenatal care provided by a state bill.
In May, Gov. Kay Ivey signed a bill that would speed up Medicaid access to pregnant mothers in Alabama.
Rep. Marilyn Lands said the goal of that bill was to get pregnant mothers in front of doctors faster. She said she has concerns about healthcare changes being discussed at the federal level, and reiterated how seeing a doctor sooner can make a difference in pregnancy.
Alabama’s infant mortality rate is higher than the national average, with nearly eight deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health.
“We can identify preexisting conditions, high blood pressure, diabetes, preeclampsia, those kinds of things and treat them early,” Lands said. “The earlier we find out, the better the outcomes are going to be.”
In its current form, the spending bill would make billions of dollars in cuts to Medicaid.
“I am concerned about this particular bill, but also just the larger ramifications because how everything is connected in terms of funding sources and grants, that this could have a devastating impact on the whole medical infrastructure in this state and in the country,” Lands said.
In pushing her Medicaid bill, Lands said the appointments early in pregnancy are also about education, giving mothers the information they need to be able to take care of themselves and their babies. Before the bill was passed in Alabama, Medicaid approval required proof of pregnancy from a doctor, which could be time-consuming for a mother to obtain.
“Since she doesn’t have Medicaid yet, she can’t get into a doctor,” Lands said. “The alternative or the option that point becomes the county health department.”
Lands said the wait can be up to six weeks.
“There’s so much we can do to really ensure the pregnancy has a good outcome,” Lands said.
Lands said she has plans to meet with Sen. Katie Britt’s office to discuss maternal healthcare at the federal level and identify the areas where they can work together to support mothers.
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