Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed an executive order Wednesday aimed at combating maternal mortality. Arkansas state estimates reveal that there are roughly 35 maternal deaths per 100,000 births in the state – one of the highest rates in the country.
A report by Arkansas Public Radio states that according to the Arkansas Department of Health 92% of these deaths are preventable, as women who die after giving birth often have treatable conditions like hemorrhages or infections. And hundreds of women never see a doctor after giving birth. Governor Sanders says, “Of the 35,000 pregnancies each year, 10,000 women wait until after their first trimester to even see a doctor.”
The governor describes Arkansas’ high maternal mortality rate as an education problem not a coverage problem. “Some have suggested that the solution to this problem is to create a redundant program by expanding Medicaid. It would make for a good headline, but it doesn’t actually solve the issue. That’s because Arkansas already has resources for pregnant women, all nine months of pregnancy and beyond. We provide maternal and prenatal care with zero out-of-pocket expenses.”
Medicaid funds cover over 15,000 or about 40% of births a year in Arkansas, about the same amount that is covered nationally. This comes after bipartisan efforts to expand Medicaid for more pregnant women in Arkansas during the term of former Governor Asa Hutchinson.
Sanders laments that not enough women know about the resources available to them. The executive order will create a pilot program targeting five counties with the lowest rates of maternal care. “This plan will focus on four points: improving education, improving healthcare access, improving coordination, and overall improving maternal health. Additionally, our state agencies will take immediate steps to enroll all eligible women in the programs that we already have that are available.” The executive order will also work to try to expand visits from healthcare workers across the state.
