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Robert Reich: How the Right Wing is Killing Women
Last edited Tue May 13, 2014, 08:21 PM - Edit history (1)
How the Right Wing is Killing Women
Monday, May 12, 2014
According to a report released last week in the widely-respected health research journal, The Lancet, the United States now ranks 60th out of 180 countries on maternal deaths occurring during pregnancy and childbirth...for every 100,000 births in America last year, 18.5 women died. That’s compared to 8.2 women who died during pregnancy and birth in Canada, 6.1 in Britain, and only 2.4 in Iceland.
A woman giving birth in America is more than twice as likely to die as a woman in Saudi Arabia or China.
<...>
The data tell the story: A study by the Roosevelt Institute shows that U.S. states with high poverty rates have maternal death rates 77 percent higher than states with lower levels of poverty. Women with no health insurance are four times more likely to die during pregnancy or in childbirth than women who are insured.
<...>
Many of these high-poverty states are among the twenty-one that have so far refused to expand Medicaid, even though the federal government will cover 100 percent of the cost for the first three years and at least 90 percent thereafter...Several of these same states have also cut family planning, restricted abortions, and shuttered women’s health clinics.
Right-wing ideology is trumping the health needs of millions of Americans.
Let’s be perfectly clear: These policies are literally killing women.
http://robertreich.org/post/85556159055
Monday, May 12, 2014
According to a report released last week in the widely-respected health research journal, The Lancet, the United States now ranks 60th out of 180 countries on maternal deaths occurring during pregnancy and childbirth...for every 100,000 births in America last year, 18.5 women died. That’s compared to 8.2 women who died during pregnancy and birth in Canada, 6.1 in Britain, and only 2.4 in Iceland.
A woman giving birth in America is more than twice as likely to die as a woman in Saudi Arabia or China.
<...>
The data tell the story: A study by the Roosevelt Institute shows that U.S. states with high poverty rates have maternal death rates 77 percent higher than states with lower levels of poverty. Women with no health insurance are four times more likely to die during pregnancy or in childbirth than women who are insured.
<...>
Many of these high-poverty states are among the twenty-one that have so far refused to expand Medicaid, even though the federal government will cover 100 percent of the cost for the first three years and at least 90 percent thereafter...Several of these same states have also cut family planning, restricted abortions, and shuttered women’s health clinics.
Right-wing ideology is trumping the health needs of millions of Americans.
Let’s be perfectly clear: These policies are literally killing women.
http://robertreich.org/post/85556159055
For U.S. Mothers, Conservative Policies Can Be Deadly
Andrea Flynn
For much of the last decade, maternal mortality rates (MMRs) have declined globally. But in the United States, they have consistently increased and are now at one of the highest points in the last 25 years. If conservatives have their way with social and economic policy, it’s unlikely the U.S. will make significant strides to improve the health of mothers in the near future.
According to a report released last week in the The Lancet, the U.S. now ranks 60th out of 180 countries for maternal deaths. China is number 57. Only seven other countries experienced an increase in MMR over the past 10 years. They include Greece, Afghanistan, and South Sudan. The report estimates that for every 100,000 births, 18.5 mothers die in the U.S. By comparison, 13.5 women die in Iran, 6.1 in the United Kingdom, and only 2.4 in Iceland.
It is no coincidence that the U.S. MMR has increased as poverty rates have steadily climbed. In 2010, Amnesty International released a report that showed women living in the lowest-income areas were twice as likely to suffer a maternal death. States with high rates of poverty were found to have MMRs 77 percent higher than states with fewer residents living below the federal poverty level. Women of color have poverty rates more than double those of white women, and black women are 3-4 times as likely to die from pregnancy-related causes.
The numerous factors that contribute to the high U.S. MMR are complex, as are the solutions required to effectively address the problem. However, one solution is already in place and is working. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) will significantly improve maternal health by mandating coverage of pre-natal, maternity, and post-partum care in all insurance plans. But some of the women in greatest need will remain uninsured and at increased risk because of the refusal of 21 states to expand Medicaid. Many of those states have among the nation’s highest rates of poverty and maternal mortality.
- more -
http://www.nextnewdeal.net/us-mothers-conservative-policies-can-be-deadly
Andrea Flynn
For much of the last decade, maternal mortality rates (MMRs) have declined globally. But in the United States, they have consistently increased and are now at one of the highest points in the last 25 years. If conservatives have their way with social and economic policy, it’s unlikely the U.S. will make significant strides to improve the health of mothers in the near future.
According to a report released last week in the The Lancet, the U.S. now ranks 60th out of 180 countries for maternal deaths. China is number 57. Only seven other countries experienced an increase in MMR over the past 10 years. They include Greece, Afghanistan, and South Sudan. The report estimates that for every 100,000 births, 18.5 mothers die in the U.S. By comparison, 13.5 women die in Iran, 6.1 in the United Kingdom, and only 2.4 in Iceland.
It is no coincidence that the U.S. MMR has increased as poverty rates have steadily climbed. In 2010, Amnesty International released a report that showed women living in the lowest-income areas were twice as likely to suffer a maternal death. States with high rates of poverty were found to have MMRs 77 percent higher than states with fewer residents living below the federal poverty level. Women of color have poverty rates more than double those of white women, and black women are 3-4 times as likely to die from pregnancy-related causes.
The numerous factors that contribute to the high U.S. MMR are complex, as are the solutions required to effectively address the problem. However, one solution is already in place and is working. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) will significantly improve maternal health by mandating coverage of pre-natal, maternity, and post-partum care in all insurance plans. But some of the women in greatest need will remain uninsured and at increased risk because of the refusal of 21 states to expand Medicaid. Many of those states have among the nation’s highest rates of poverty and maternal mortality.
- more -
http://www.nextnewdeal.net/us-mothers-conservative-policies-can-be-deadly
Here's The Lancet Table linked to in the piece.
U.S. stats:
Maternal mortality ratio (per 100,000 live births)
1993 12.4 (11.1 to 13.9)
2003 17.6 (15.7 to 19.5)
2013 18.5 (14.8 to 22.9)
Number of maternal deaths
1993 527 (472 to 592)
2003 752 (669 to 833)
2013 796 (638 to 995)
(Annualized) rate of change in maternal mortality ration (%)
1990-2003 2.7% (1.4 to 3.8)
2003-2013 0.5% (-1.8 to 2.8)
1990-2013 1.7 (0.8 to 2.7)
The 2011 Amnesty report charts its findings (page 13), the "impact of 2010 health care reform on maternal care" and "gaps remaining and next steps"
Deadly Delivery: The Maternal Health Care Crisis in the USA
http://www.amnestyusa.org/sites/default/files/deadlydeliveryoneyear.pdf
Some of the impacts of the law.
- “Gender rating” is prohibited.
- Prenatal, maternity and newborn care, as well as primary care and preventive services, are among "essential benefits" that all insurance plans must cover.
- Doubles funding for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) which operate in areas and communities with provider shortages. (§10503) The expansion of community health centers could mean that an additional 40 million people every year get affordable access to health care.
- Makes midwives and birth centers more available, particularly in medically underserved communities by ensuring Medicaid reimbursement for services and facility fees, and increases Medicaid reimbursement rates (§2301).
- Greatly simplifies the process for a state to provide expanded access to family planning under Medicaid, creating the opportunity for states to save significant amounts of public funds.
- Expands maternal, infant, and early childhood home visiting programs for high-risk communities (§2952)
- Includes funds for post-partum depression research and treatment (§2952)
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