Despite calls by Texas Medical Association and others to address the maternal health crisis by extending women’s Medicaid coverage from 60 days to 12 months postpartum, Texas lawmakers chose another path – boosting the Healthy Texas Women program for new mothers.
Today’s TMA Legislative News Hotline video looks at Senate Bill 750 by Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham), which requires the state Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to expand the program beyond the current prevention services it provides. The bill awaits Gov. Greg Abbott’s signature.
TMA Vice President of Advocacy Darren Whitehurst says lawmakers also added money and resources to the program to better serve women who automatically lose Medicaid coverage two months after giving birth.
The Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Task Force recommended extending Medicaid coverage to 12 months postpartum in a 2016 report that found that nearly 60% of women who died postpartum did so six to 52 weeks after delivery.
See this and more in today’s Hotline video report, the seventh in our “Top 10” legislative summary series, covering the budget, opioids, mental health, insurance reform, and more.
Last Updated On
June 12, 2019
Brent Annear
Director, Media and Public Relations
(512) 370-1381
brent.annear[at]texmed[dot]org
Brent Annear is TMA’s director of media relations and PR. He joined TMA in 2001 after working two decades in television news. Brent and his team share TMA’s mission and vision with the world through news releases, blog and social media posts, and videos. He is a University of Texas graduate who hails from Minnesota. Brent is married and has two stepsons. He enjoys photography, golf, travel, volunteering and woodworking projects, and he is a private pilot.