From WisPolitics.com/WisBusiness.com …
— Dem lawmakers this week circulated legislation that would require certain health insurance plans to cover maternity and newborn care as an essential health benefit.
Sens. Dora Drake of Milwaukee and Kelda Roys of Madison, as well as Rep. Robyn Vining of Wauwatosa, recently sent a cosponsorship memo to other lawmakers on LRB 2263, the Pregnancy Protection Act.
They wrote that every woman in Wisconsin “deserves access to high-quality and affordable” maternal health care.
“We know we have significant work to do to improve maternal healthcare in Wisconsin, especially considering the racial disparities experienced by Black women in Wisconsin, and this bill is one important step in that direction,” they wrote.
Under the bill, certain health insurance policies, referred to as disability insurance policies, as well as governmental self-insured health plans would be required to cover “the essential health benefit” of maternity and newborn care as specified by the state’s insurance commissioner.
The legislation lays out a list of requirements the commissioner would have to follow in establishing the benefit such as limits on cost sharing, according to the Legislative Reference Bureau.
If the maternity or newborn care benefit is also subject to another mandated coverage requirement, the bill would require the health insurance policy or self-insured health plan to provide coverage “under whichever requirement provides the insured or plan participant with more comprehensive coverage,” LRB wrote in an overview.
The lawmakers note maternity care coverage helps both women and their children, as related care can help address complications such as gestational diabetes, infections and more.
“Lack of healthcare coverage, or the potential of losing health coverage, could make this crucial healthcare inaccessible or unaffordable,” they wrote.
See the bill text.
— After Gov. Tony Evers announced he won’t seek reelection, the Wisconsin Hospital Association released a statement praising Evers as a “strong partner” to hospitals in the state.
WHA President and CEO Kyle O’Brien said the guv and his administration were “truly working night and day” during the COVID-19 pandemic to help hospitals get what they needed to deal with the crisis.
He also touted Evers signing the last three state budgets into law, noting they resulted in higher Medicaid reimbursement for hospitals, more investment in the health care workforce and fewer barriers for health care in Wisconsin.
“The Wisconsin Hospital Association is grateful for the partnership we’ve had with Governor Evers and his team throughout his tenure,” O’Brien said. “We thank the governor for his service to Wisconsin and his strong support of our state’s hospitals and care providers.”
See the release below and see more coverage on Evers deciding against seeking a third term.
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