Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
New York Tries To Curb Soaring Maternal Mortality Rates With Doulas
The New York Times: New York To Expand Use Of Doulas To Reduce Childbirth Deaths
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced on Sunday a series of initiatives aimed at addressing a disturbingly high rate of maternal mortality among black women, who are four times more likely to die in childbirth than white women in New York State, according to a study released last year. The plan includes a pilot program that will expand Medicaid coverage for doulas, birth coaches who provide women with physical and emotional support during pregnancy and childbirth. (Ferre-Sadurni, 4/22)
In other women's health care news —
Chicago Tribune: Women Fighting Cancer Ask, 'Why Won't Illinois Insurers Cover Egg, Embryo Freezing?'
State law requires insurers to cover infertility treatments, such as in vitro fertilization, for those who’ve tried and failed for a year to conceive. But insurers are not required to cover fertility preservation — freezing of eggs, sperm and embryos — for patients facing medical treatments that might leave them unable to have children. Some insurers cover the procedures but many don’t. A bill under consideration in the Illinois legislature aims to change that — one in a string of such measures across the nation. Connecticut and Rhode Island passed bills last year requiring insurers to cover fertility preservation, and a similar bill is before Maryland’s governor. (Schencker, 4/22)
