Stratton advocates for equitable pregnancy, postpartum care during Senate hearing

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — The Pritzker administration hopes to see state lawmakers pass a plan this spring to help pregnant women receive equitable access to care.

Lawmakers approved legislation last year to require Medicaid coverage for holistic services before, during and one year after birth. Now, Sen. Lakesia Collins (D-Chicago) and Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton are advocating for a bill to require private insurance companies to cover services provided by midwives, doulas and lactation consultants.

This comes as the Illinois Department of Public Health reports Black mothers are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related medical conditions than white mothers.

"When Black women prepare to bring a life into this world, part of them prepares for the possibility of death too," Stratton said. "Tell me, not as your Lt. Governor, but as the mother of four Black daughters, is that the best we can do?"

Stratton told the Senate Insurance Committee Tuesday night that the governor's birth equity initiative is a promise to women that Illinois will honor their bodies and value their lives as much as the ones they birth. 

However, Senate Republicans argued that having a co-pay a health plan has not caused maternal deaths. Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Cherry Valley) also noted that small employer health insurance costs continue to rise, leading to more people going uninsured. Although, the proposal could help people on health plans provided by small businesses and the state of Illinois.

The Illinois Health and Life Insurance Council currently opposes the plan. Although, Laura Minzer noted that the bill is well-intended.

"Our opposition is not to the merits of the bill," Minzer said. "It never is. When we look at holistically around eliminating the cost share for certain services, it creates cost pressures elsewhere." 

Minzer said she looks forward to working with sponsors to help negotiate a good path forward before the end of session in May.

"Everyone deserves good quality healthcare," Collins said. "Everybody deserves access to it no matter what the circumstances are. There are communities that have disadvantages. They have barriers in their way. We cannot pick and choose who get's what. We have to make sure that we continue to progress our state forward."

A House Committee approved the proposal Tuesday night, but the Senate Insurance Committee only held a subject matter on the plan.

"I want to thank my partner in governor, Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton for being the voice for women who have struggled in silence for far too long," Pritzker said. "I look forward to working with the General Assembly to advance this bill making the experience of being a new parent in Illinois the safest in the country." 

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