Statement of Stacey D. Stewart, President, March of Dimes on House consideration of The American Health Care Act

WASHINGTON, March 21, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The March of Dimes released the following statement from President Stacey D. Stewart on the American Health Care Act (AHCA), legislation that will be taken up by the House of Representatives this week:

"Women, children and families need quality, affordable health coverage to lead healthy, productive lives. Unfortunately, in its current form, the American Health Care Act will deny millions of pregnant women and their families the affordable coverage and quality services they need.

"The American Health Care Act fails to meet one critical test of success by causing significant coverage losses. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that 14 million people will lose or drop coverage in the first year after passage, and 24 million within a decade. This would include many women of childbearing age and children who need access to vital health services.

"In the individual market, critical consumer protections will also vanish. For example, insurers will be able to place onerous conditions on coverage for anyone who did not maintain consistent coverage for any reason, including  people with pre-existing conditions. This would almost certainly result in higher rates for pregnant women or children with complex medical conditions.

"Every year, preterm birth costs our nation over $26 billion.  An infant born preterm costs an average of 10 times more than an infant born without complications. Other adverse birth outcomes increase that cost further.  Our nation cannot afford to put in place policies that make it more difficult for women to get the coverage and services they need to have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies.

"The AHCA's proposal to repeal the Medicaid expansion would leave millions of low-income women of childbearing age without access to care.  Medicaid coverage offers these women a critical opportunity to get healthy before they get pregnant.  Even if they qualify after becoming pregnant, women may receive inadequate services because states will no longer be required to cover maternity and newborn care. Women, infants, and communities will bear the long-term cost if prenatal care is shortchanged and more babies are born sick as a result.

"The March of Dimes urges the House of Representatives to reconsider this legislation. We would welcome the opportunity to work collaboratively with policymakers to achieve our mutual goals of ensuring better, more affordable coverage for all Americans."

About March of Dimes
The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. For more than 75 years, moms and babies have benefited from March of Dimes research, education, vaccines, and breakthroughs.

For the latest resources and health information, visit our websites marchofdimes.org and nacersano.org. To participate in our annual signature fundraising event, visit marchforbabies.org. If you have been affected by prematurity or birth defects, visit our shareyourstory.org community to find comfort and support. For detailed national, state and local perinatal statistics, visit persistats.org. You can also find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

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SOURCE March of Dimes