The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services celebrated National Minority Health Month in April with events to bring awareness to Black maternal health.
The department noted Black Maternal Health Week is April 11-17, which President Joe Biden proclaimed April 10, according to an April 13 news release. HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra hosted a roundtable about Black maternal and infant health inequities.
“HHS continues to take action to ensure Black mothers and their babies survive childbirth,” Becerra said in the release.
The event, which focused on Black mental health outcomes, was hosted by the HHS Partnership Center and featured academics and activists from around the country, including Illinois Congresswoman Lauren Underwood and Robin Kelly, the release reported.
The Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis says the U.S. “has the highest maternal mortality rate among developed nations, and disproportionately high rates which are 2.5-3 times higher for Black and American Indian and Alaska Native women compared to non-Hispanic whites," the release said.
Among actions the blueprint advocates are comprehensive and continuous “maternal health insurance coverage during pregnancy, and for no less than one year afterwards, according to the release.
“Approximately 42% of births are covered by Medicaid, but historically people with Medicaid lost postpartum coverage 60 days after the end of pregnancy,” the release said.
HHS and the Biden-Harris administration approved the first extension of Medicaid postpartum benefits to 12 months in 31 states and the District of Columbia, the release reported. The extension "aims to reduce the rate of maternal morbidity and mortality, including significant health disparities for Black women during the postpartum period.”
"There are still more states and territories that need to take advantage of this opportunity, and HHS won’t rest until women in every state have continuous access to medical care throughout the postpartum period," Becerra said in the release. "During Black Maternal Health Week and every week, HHS will continue its work to ensure safer pregnancies.”
