Pam is not alone in experiencing a complication during pregnancy related to her heart. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in pregnant and postpartum women. Tell your elected officials to help address that problem by supporting the MOMMA’s Act (Mothers and Offspring Mortality and Morbidity Awareness Act, S. 916/ H.R. 1897).
The bill, introduced by Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL) and Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), recognizes heart disease among the predominant medical causes of maternal mortality and serious medical problems related to pregnancy. It also makes clear the disparities for African-American women who are “three to four times more likely to die from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth compared to non-Hispanic White women.”
The bill addresses maternal mortality by promoting best practices for improving maternity care and addressing deficiencies in our system of collecting maternal mortality data. It also expands Medicaid coverage from 60 days post-partum to one year. This is especially critical for low-income women who rely on Medicaid for health coverage and who may experience a heart event during or after their pregnancy and need ongoing care to treat their heart disease.
Contact your members now and tell them to cosponsor the MOMMA’s Act.
Please feel free to personalize the draft message to your elected official. Personal stories are always a great advocacy strategy.
Email to Members:
Subject Line: Please Cosponsor the MOMMA’s Act
Dear Senator/ Representative,
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in pregnant and postpartum women. As a person who cares deeply about women’s heart health, I urge you to cosponsor the MOMMA’s Act (S. 916/ H.R. 1897). OR As a person who cares deeply about women’s heart health, I want to thank you for cosponsoring the MOMMA’s Act (S. 916/ H.R. 1897).
This legislation recognizes heart disease among the predominant medical causes of maternal mortality and serious medical problems related to pregnancy, and it helps address that problem by promoting best practices for improving maternity care. The bill also makes clear the disparities in pregnancy health outcomes for Black women, and it addresses implicit bias and cultural competency for health care providers.
Another critical provision in the bill is that it expands Medicaid coverage from 60 days post-partum to one year. This is especially critical for low-income women who rely on Medicaid for health coverage and who may experience a heart event during or after their pregnancy and need ongoing care to treat their heart disease.
Thank you for your attention to this important issue.
Signed,
(Your Name)