I am your constituent and I want you to know we have a problem with a lack of OB GYN services in the US and it is dangerous.
Between 2006 and 2020 more than 400 maternity programs have closed. Between 2011 and 2021, 267 rural hospitals closed OB services, representing 25% of all rural OB units in the U.S. When a woman has to travel more than 40 minutes to get there her life and the pregnancy are both at risk. I know you don’t want that. This is a dangerous situation and I want to you pay attention and address it. Here is what you can do:
Expand telehealth to cover areas where gaps exist. This would require partnerships between hospitals in maternal care deserts and hospitals with a decent sized OB-GYN program.
Enable Running OB-GYN rotations from hospitals with established maternity programs to those in maternal care deserts for prenatal care services. A full hybrid model would include patients traveling to the larger hospital where the OB-GYN originated for labor and delivery.
Enable Launching mobile OB units to reach underserved areas. The CARE for Moms Act, which is not yet passed, includes proposed grants for rural obstetric mobile units.
Create incentive programs to encourage OB-GYNs to practice in rural areas.
Extend Medicaid postpartum coverage from 60 days to 12 months.
I know you care about healthy women and children, now show it.
