(WNY News Now) By introducing paid prenatal leave, expanding Medicaid coverage, and improving openness in maternity facilities, New York fortifies maternal health care.
On Friday, Governor Kathy Hochul signed two new legislation to expand pregnant women’s access to resources. These rules will increase Medicaid coverage for specific telemedicine operations and increase the amount of information available to pregnant women so they can make an informed choice when choosing a maternal health care provider. The nation’s first-ever paid prenatal leave program was established by Governor Hochul as part of his priority to solve the maternal mortality epidemic, and it will go into effect on January 1.
According to Governor Hochul, the unfortunate reality is that there is a maternal health crisis in our country. By enacting new legislation and enacting audacious policies to safeguard the health and welfare of mothers and infants, we in New York are confronting that crisis head-on. Our efforts to combat maternal mortality and help New York families continue with these two new legislation.
The information given to potential maternity patients about the facility, including its procedures for safety drills for obstetric emergencies and transfers of critically sick pregnant patients and infants, is expanded by Legislation S.3610/A.5576. As expectant moms make crucial and knowledgeable decisions about the healthcare facility they will select for both their own and their unborn child’s needs, New York State continues to support information accessibility.
Pregnant women and their families can now receive more help thanks to legislation S.7690/A.8168, which covers remote ultrasound scans and remote fetal non-stress tests under Medicaid.
“I am proud that Governor Hochul has signed my legislation into law to improve maternal health outcomes and combat racial and economic disparities for mothers and all birthing people,” stated State Senator Lea Webb. Poor access to prenatal care providers and financial obstacles including insurance coverage, transportation, or the inability to take time off work to attend visits are known to be some of the main causes of the maternal death epidemic. By guaranteeing that remote ultrasound scans and remote fetal non-stress tests are covered by Medicaid, my legislation (S.7690) seeks to solve this problem and expand access to routine prenatal care for individuals who reside in rural regions or lack transportation. Furthermore, before maternity patients are admitted to a hospital or birthing facility, S.3610 would promote transparency and provide information to enable them to make educated decisions regarding their own and their babies’ care. I would want to express my gratitude to the Senate Majority Leader, Governor Kathy Hochul, and my Assembly colleagues Paulin and Sillitti for introducing this legislation.
“I am grateful that the Governor is enacting my bill, A.5576,” Assemblywoman Gina Sillitti stated. Pregnant women will be empowered to make educated decisions about their care thanks to this sensible legislation, which will guarantee that they receive clear and important information about their birthing facility. New York is making great progress in improving maternal health outcomes throughout the state by encouraging patient safety, quality improvement, and access to bereavement support.
“We know how important prenatal care is to positive maternal health outcomes,” said Assemblywoman Amy Paulin. We are also aware of the significance of telemedicine for people who face financial obstacles or reside in areas with limited access to healthcare. For moms and infants in New York, this new law will help remove those obstacles, improve access to treatment, and eventually lead to better health outcomes.
One of the first paid prenatal leave policies in the country was part of Governor Hochul’s FY2025 Executive Budget, which was approved by the Legislature. New York will go further than any other state to guarantee pregnant workers may obtain the medical treatment required to produce positive outcomes for both parent and child without endangering their jobs by requiring a separate sick leave bank for prenatal care. In addition to the current sick leave, employees can take an extra 20 hours of paid sick leave for prenatal care starting on January 1, 2025.
Research indicates a strong correlation between prenatal care and better health outcomes for both moms and babies. Newborns are more likely to be healthy and pregnant women who have access to routine prenatal care are less likely to die during childbirth.
Prenatal leave expands on Governor Hochul’s prior efforts to assist new parents and enhance maternal health outcomes, such as providing more than 80% of the state workforce with 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave benefits and allowing Medicaid and Child Health Plus enrollees to continue postpartum coverage for up to a full year following the end of a pregnancy.
The FY25 Budget also removes cost-sharing for some pregnancy-related costs, like as prenatal and postpartum visits, for participants of the Essential Plan and Qualified Health Plan, and provides financial incentives for hospitals to cut down on the number of needless C-sections.