POLICYMAKERS MUST PRIORITIZE MATERNAL HEALTH AND PROTECT MEDICAID

On 2026-07-14, Representative Danny K. Davis (D-IL-7) delivered a floor speech titled "POLICYMAKERS MUST PRIORITIZE MATERNAL HEALTH AND PROTECT MEDICAID" in the House.

POLICYMAKERS MUST PRIORITIZE MATERNAL HEALTH AND PROTECT MEDICAID

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 114 (Tuesday, July 14, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 114 (Tuesday, July 14, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E689] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] POLICYMAKERS MUST PRIORITIZE MATERNAL HEALTH AND PROTECT MEDICAID ______ HON. DANNY K. DAVIS of illinois in the house of representatives Tuesday, July 14, 2026 Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address an issue that transcends politics because it is about life itself--protecting mothers, protecting babies, and protecting the healthcare that millions of American families rely on through Medicaid. Medicaid is not an abstract government program. It is the foundation of maternal and child health in America. It finances more than 42 percent of all births nationwide, half of the births in rural communities, and approximately 60 percent of births to women of color. In Illinois alone, Medicaid covers more than 50 percent of the births in the state and insures approximately 3.4 million people, including nearly 1.5 million children. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 5.7 million Americans will lose Medicaid coverage because of new policies that impose burdensome administrative requirements and unnecessary barriers to maintaining health insurance. These are not simply numbers; they represent pregnant mothers, newborn babies, working parents, seniors, and children who may lose access to essential medical care. For Illinois, the consequences are especially severe. Our state is projected to lose approximately $57 billion in federal Medicaid funding over the next decade, with estimates reaching approximately $48 billion in direct Medicaid reductions. These losses will force hospitals and health care providers across our state to make impossible decisions, leading to workforce reductions, cuts to obstetric and mental health services, and even hospital closures. The impact on maternal health cannot be overstated. Medicaid guarantees coverage for low-income women throughout pregnancy and currently supports prenatal care, labor and delivery, and postpartum care. The damage of Medicaid cuts begins even before pregnancy. Women without health insurance are less likely to receive preventive care or treatment for chronic illnesses, mental health conditions, or substance use disorders before becoming pregnant, increasing the likelihood of pregnancy complications and poor birth outcomes. Medicaid cuts will also devastate hospitals serving rural and underserved communities, thereby making labor and delivery more dangerous. More than 140 labor and delivery units are projected to close, forcing expectant mothers to travel farther for care and increasing the risk of pregnancy complications. Already, labor and delivery units, women's health clinics, emergency departments, and birth centers have closed nationwide, leaving thousands of families without nearby maternal care. Today, 48 States and the District of Columbia have extended postpartum Medicaid coverage to twelve months because policymakers on both sides of the aisle recognized a simple truth: childbirth does not end when a mother leaves the hospital. The first year after birth is one of the most medically-vulnerable periods in a woman's life. It is during this time that mothers receive treatment for postpartum depression, anxiety, hypertension, substance use disorder, and other potentially life-threatening complications. Research shows that Medicaid reimbursement for maternal health screenings significantly increases the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of postpartum mental health conditions. Weakening Medicaid threatens these life-saving services by shifting additional costs to states that may be forced to reduce postpartum coverage, eliminate doula services, home visiting programs, and integrated mental health care that have already demonstrated measurable success. Perhaps nowhere are these dangers more apparent than in Black maternal health. Black women remain two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women, while Black infants experience mortality rates twice as high as their white counterparts. These unacceptable disparities persist because structural inequities continue to limit access to quality care before, during, and after pregnancy. For communities like many of those I proudly represent in Chicago, these cuts will deepen existing disparities instead of addressing them. Policies that reduce access to care do not eliminate disparities, they widen them. Congress should be strengthening maternal health, not dismantling it. Healthy mothers build healthy families, and healthy families build stronger communities. Every mother deserves a safe pregnancy, every baby deserves a healthy start, and every family deserves access to quality health care regardless of income or zip code. I urge my colleagues to reject these harmful Medicaid cuts and to protect maternal health, expand postpartum care, reduce Black maternal health disparities, and ensure that every family has the opportunity to thrive. The health of our Nation begins with the health of our mothers. ____________________