December 20, 2024

Subscribers please note: Friday Notes will resume publication on January 10.

Maternal Health Bills Headed to Governor

A significant victory for maternal and infant health came on Thursday night as numerous bills aimed at improving outcomes finally crossed the finish line with Senate passage. The legislation now moves to Governor Whitmer's desk.

First introduced in October 2023 and passed by the House in June, the nine bills, some requested by MCMCH, will both establish new policies and codify existing frameworks to support improving the health and well-being of mothers and infants.

HB 4728 removes redundant testing requirements of donor milk to breast milk banks, reducing costs and barriers to donation for Michigan's two existing milk banks.

HB 5166 codifies Michigan's Perinatal Quality Collaborative, including the regional entities. Working throughout the state, the collaboratives are designed to improve outcomes for families during preconception, birth and postpartum periods.

HBs 5167 and 5168 require private insurance and Medicaid coverage of blood pressure monitors for all pregnant/postpartum patients.

HBs 5169, 5170 and 5171 require mental health screenings for new mothers as part of postpartum obstetrics or pediatrics appointments, and require private insurance and Medicaid coverage for the services.

HB 5172 codifies the Maternal Levels of Care voluntary designation for hospitals, helping direct birthing individuals with the highest need to the appropriate level of care facility.

HB 5173 requires hospitals to share state-developed information about enrolling

newborns in health insurance with new parents.

MCMCH Executive Director Amy Zaagman spoke in support of the package before the Senate Health Policy Committee last week. Thank you to the MCMCH members and partners who informed and supported this package of bills.

Majority of Momnibus Bills Die With End of House Session

Doula Scholarships Sent to Governor; Birth Centers Still Possible

A frustrating week at the Capitol ended with the House adjourning session on Thursday without voting as not enough members were present to reach a quorum. Republican members did not attend session, nor did Rep. Karen Whitsett (D-Detroit). Because of this the majority of the Michigan Momnibus bills were among the many casualties of this dysfunction of the legislative process.

Introduced in April, SBs 818-823 and 825 were championed by Sen. Erika Geiss and the State of Birth Justice, and sought to address gaps in Black maternal health, targeting areas including maternal mortality, infant mortality and access to care, and focusing on the disparities in healthcare by improving equity and accountability in the state’s services. (see the December 6 edition of Friday Notes for details on the bills).

SBs 1056-1057, introduced later to complement the original package, would have required Medicaid coverage for banked breast milk and midwifery services. SB 1058 would have expanded the settings where ultrasound and fetal doppler tests are reimbursable.

Because the Senate is still in session they could pass HB 5636 to establish licensure for freestanding birth centers before they adjourn. The other House bill in the package had passed and is headed headed to the Governor's desk, it is HB 5826 which codifies the doula scholarship fund.

Some Bills Expanding Birth Control Access Pass Senate, Move to Governor

Two bills that would allow pharmacists to prescribe hormonal birth control and require in-network insurance providers to cover the costs were approved in the Senate early this morning, moving them on to the House for enrollment and then to the Governor's desk. HB 5436 allows pharmacists to prescribe birth control, and HB 5435 requires insurers to honor that prescription. 

The Senate has not yet acted on HB 5013 that requires insurance companies to cover prescriptions for a 12-month supply of birth control.

Legislative Recap: Bills That Didn't Make It

In addition to the Momnibus bills, dozens of bills MCMCH was monitoring or actively working on effectively died when the House failed to reach a quorum on Thursday. Other bills just failed to reach the floor for a vote in either the House or Senate.

Here's a rundown of issues that did not reach a vote:

Paid Family Leave--Despite a strong coalition of advocates in support, neither Senate nor House bills to create the Family Leave Optimal Coverage Fund (FLOC) advanced.

Group-based Prenatal Care Coverage-- SBs 1127 and 1128 would have codified Medicaid coverage for group-based prenatal care programs like CenteringPregnancy and required private insurance coverage of the service.

Contraception--SBs 973 and 974 would have required Medicaid and private insurance to cover contraception and emergency contraception.

Pediatric Extended Care--Bills to create licensure for prescribed pediatric extended care facilities were advanced by the House Health Policy Committee last week but never made it out of the House.

Abortion--Bills to protect in-state health providers offering abortion care and out-of-state women from abortion ban states seeking care in Michigan moved quickly out of the Senate but died in the House.

Updates to Sex Education -- HB 6068 was unable to get traction in the few remaining session days after the election but the robust coalition led by the Michigan Association on Adolescent Sexual Health will work to get the bill re-introduced in 2025.

Tobacco--Legislation crafted to address tobacco use and addiction in young people died in the House despite strong efforts from the Keep MI Kids Tobacco Free Alliance. A glimmer of hope remains on HBs 6002-6003 to require licensing of tobacco retailers and prohibit sales to individuals under 21 years of age in Michigan; those bills are in the Senate that remains in session.

Federal MOMS Act Passes House and Senate Following advocacy from the Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance (MMHLA) and other federal partners, the first legislation addressing military mothers’ mental health is included in the final national defense bill.

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) includes a new program to address the mental health of active duty service members and their spouses during and following pregnancy. 

The legislation calls for establishing a standing program in the military health care system that will provide resources to prevent and treat maternal mental health conditions and raise awareness of these resources among military service members and their families. 

This legislation is based on The Maintaining our Obligation to Moms who Serve Act (The MOMS Act), a bipartisan, bicameral policy championed by Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance (MMHLA). The MOMS Act was introduced in January 2024 by Representative Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-6) and Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) with co-sponsors Representative Don Bacon (R-NE-2) and Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE). 

According to the Government Accountability Office, approximately 100,000 military mothers (both active duty and spouses) give birth each year, and one in three are impacted by maternal mental health conditions. This is twice the rate seen in the civilian population. 

The Michigan Council for Maternal and Child Health is an organization of members committed to improving maternal and child health in Michigan.

Learn more at www.mcmch.org

Amy Zaagman, Executive Director

Jennifer Gorchow, Communications Manager

Ta'Sheena Williams, Policy Director