From Augusta – Making health care accessible and affordable - Press Herald

In my district – and across Maine – people are struggling to get the health care they and their children need. The Legislature as a whole has been working on this, taking up bills to improve access to dental care and mental health care among other measures. I’ve been focusing on the health care needs of families and am excited to share with you that two bills I’ve introduced that will provide no-cost insurance to more Maine children and improve postpartum health coverage have passed initial votes in the Senate and House with unanimous support.

Anne Carney

The first, LD 372 “An Act To Provide Maine Children Access to Affordable Health Care,” will fully implement the federal Children’s Health Insurance Program by extending the program to Maine families up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level. This and other changes will make sure Maine kids have health insurance and get the child-specific care, including dental, vision and mental health care, that CHIP covers.

The second, LD 1357 “An Act To Require Private Insurance Coverage for Postpartum Care,” will ensure new mothers have access to the comprehensive health care they need after giving birth.

Maine currently leaves $18 million in federal health care dollars on the table because we only give Children’s Health Insurance Program coverage to families whose income is up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. LD 372 will expand the Children’s Health Insurance Program to fully implement the federal program. This will give Maine kids and families the health care they need. Our New England neighbors cover families up to and beyond the 300 percent level for federal matching funds. LD 372 will put us on par with neighboring states in attracting and retaining the young families who will help us build the workforce our growing economy needs.

Changing the income eligibility cap to access all federal matching funds will provide child-specific insurance coverage to thousands of uninsured kids. LD 372 will also cover 19- and 20-year-olds, giving our young adults access to needed health care while they transition from high school to the next steps in their lives.

Maine families face extraordinary financial challenges right now. Our state also faces an extraordinary workforce shortage. Enacting LD 372 will relieve financial strain for Maine families, give Maine children health insurance their parents can afford to use, and make Maine competitive with our New England neighbors so we can recruit and retain the workforce our state needs.

The year following birth of a child is wonderful and challenging. New moms are recovering from childbirth, caring for an infant, sometimes navigating preexisting medical conditions and simultaneously preparing to return to work. LD 1357 will ensure that maternity benefits provided by health insurers include postpartum care that meets the standard set by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The organization views postpartum care as an ongoing process rather than a single encounter at 6 weeks after delivery. Requiring insurance companies to provide coverage for the many medical issues that arise in the year following childbirth, like pelvic floor injuries, postpartum depression, high blood pressure, lactation difficulties and serious cardiac conditions, will support new mothers at a critical time for themselves and their newborns, allowing Maine women to get the care they need.

As a reminder, if you are looking for help with getting accessible and affordable health care, Consumers for Affordable Health Care can help answer your questions about getting enrolled in marketplace insurance and other matters. Please contact the Consumer Assistance Helpline at 1-800-965-7476.

Anne Carney represents Maine Senate District 29, which consists of Cape Elizabeth, South Portland and part of Scarborough. She can be reached at 207-287-1515 [email protected]