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An Alabama House committee Wednesday approved a bill that would provide prenatal care to low-income pregnant people for up to 60 days during pregnancy.
HB89, sponsored by Rep. Marilyn Lands, D-Huntsville, would improve maternal care in Alabama by providing presumptive Medicaid eligibility to people before their Medicaid applications are reviewed and formally approved.
If passed, the bill would increase the Alabama Medicaid Agency’s obligations by an “agency-estimated $1 million annually until fiscal year 2028, consisting of $726,300 in federal funds and $273,700 in state funds” beginning in October.
This bill would also increase the agency’s administrative obligations to adopt rules and develop forms for qualified providers to determine presumptive eligibility.
Lands reiterated the maternal and infant mortality rates across the state. Committee members agreed that the costs would outweigh the gains in this case.
“As you know, we have the worst maternal mortality rates in the country and third to last in infant mortality, so I really want to champion maternal healthcare and look for ways that we can bring those numbers up and really show how much we care about our mamas and babies,” said Lands.
Lands was also praised for her bipartisan work on the bill. Of the nine cosponsors, three were Republicans, Reps. Ross, DuBose and Wilcox.
The Ways and Means General Fund Committee passed this bill favorably, and the bill now goes to the full House for consideration.
