ÉçÇøºÚÁÏ spoke with Representative Marilyn Lands about a proposed bill that aims to help maternal and infant mortality rates.
A new Alabama bipartisan bill aims to help maternal and infant mortality rates. Huntsville Rep. Marilyn Lands pre-filed the Alabama Maternal Health Care Act, or House Bill 89, on Tuesday.
The bill would allow for Medicaid presumptive eligibility, meaning uninsured pregnant women would be able to receive short-term Medicaid coverage in order to receive prenatal care earlier in the pregnancy. Â
Lands says one of the major benefits of HB 89 would have on women is doctors being able to identify pre-existing conditions a baby may have sooner in the pregnancy. This would allow moms to get on the proper medication and health care regime, which could help save both the baby’s life and the mother's.
“I think getting women into prenatal care earlier allows us to identify pre-existing conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure, get women on the medications that they need. Really being able to monitor the baby early on. Get them vitamins. Talk about good nutrition, really get them off to a great start there and the sooner we can do that the better,†Lands said. Â
Lands says 11 percent of Alabama women never receive prenatal care. She says Alabama has the highest rate of maternal mortality among southern states. Alabama is also in the bottom third in infant mortality across the country. She thinks getting women into prenatal care earlier will lower these statistics.
“I believe that we’ll have much better outcomes and we’ll stop being last on the list and we’ll raise Alabama up by taking care of our moms and our babies,†Lands said. “I think this can speed up the process by a month, even two months for a lot of women.â€Â  Â
Under the current system, a woman has to have a doctor's verification of her pregnancy. Lands says if a woman can't afford that appointment, she has to go to the health department which can sometimes take weeks.
HB 89 would be presumptive eligibility meaning women would be able to get that first appointment without having to wait for Medicaid verification, Lands says.Â
The 2025 Alabama regular legislative session will convene on Feb. 4. HB 89 is one of many pre-filed bills local representatives hope to be addressed this year.
