Michigan Senate Passes Sweeping Bills to Tackle Racial Disparities in Maternal Health
In a landmark vote, the Michigan Senate advanced a package of eight bills aimed at combatting racial inequities plaguing maternal healthcare. This legislative push, known as the "MI Momnibus," seeks to empower communities, enhance prenatal and maternal care, and introduce accountability measures for healthcare providers within the state.
This legislative endeavor is driven by stark statistics highlighting a devastating reality: Black women in the U.S. are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications compared to white women.
Studies reveal these disparities are tied to a multitude of factors, including variations in healthcare quality, underlying chronic health conditions, the pervasive presence of structural racism, and implicit bias within the medical system.
Research also points to vast differences in prenatal care access. Black and Hispanic women are significantly less likely to receive adequate prenatal visits compared to their white counterparts, highlighting barriers tied to insurance coverage, transportation access, and other socioeconomic factors.
Sen. Erika Geiss (D-Taylor), one of the bill’s lead sponsors, emphasized the profound significance of these legislative changes, expressing that the "Momnibus" is the culmination of years of advocacy from Black birthing people, mothers, families, and marginalized communities across the state. These communities have been consistently calling for nesting vengeable, actionable measures to address the systemic issues plaguing their maternal health outcomes.
"The bills recognize and include the exact things that these communities have said they need and want to see come to fruition when it comes to prenatal, obstetric, postnatal care," stated Sen. Geiss.
The Senate passed several key bills within the "Momnibus" package:
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Senate Bill 818: This bill mandates that the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) incorporate a concrete plan to reduce health inequities as part of their overall strategy to curtail racial and ethnic disparities. DHHS will be required to publish studies and reports on instances of biased or unjust perinatal care – including but not limited to, obstetric violence or racism – on its website. Additionally, an independent review team will monitor statewide maternal deaths, submitting a report every three years starting in 2026. This report will pinpoint the most preventable causes of maternal mortality with the greatest impact on Michigan’s prenatal and postpartum population, offering vital recommendations for best practices and quality improvements in clinical settings.
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Senate Bill 819: This legislation, dubbed the "Unjust Care Reporting Act," empowers the Michigan Department of Civil Rights (MDCR) to receive and investigate reports of obstetric violence or racism. MDCR will then compile data on the prevalence of this unacceptable care, reporting these findings to the Governor, the Legislature, the director of DHHS, and the director of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA).
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Senate Bill 820: This bill strengthens patient protections for expectant mothers, requiring hospitals to stabilize a pregnant patient in labor before ending their relationship. It also prohibits discrimination based on pregnancy or lactation status. Hospitals will be required to inform LARA that they have a policy in place to support patient protection and ensure all patients can have their doula, spouse, or companion present during labor.
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Senate Bill 821: This bill amends Michigan’s insurance code, empowering the Department of Insurance and Financial Services to gather information from medical malpractice insurance providers about their perinatal care policies upon request by DHHS.
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Senate Bill 822: This bill allows a designated patient advocate to make life-sustaining treatment decisions for a patient regardless of their pregnancy status.
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Senate Bill 823: This bill amends the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to explicitly include discrimination based on sex, encompassing pregnancy or lactating status.
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Senate Bill 825: This bill amends the Public Health Code, making licensed midwives and midwifery programs eligible for the Michigan Essential Health Provider Repayment program, which assists providers in repaying student loans.
- House Bill 5826: This bill establishes a doula scholarship fund to support individuals facing financial hardship who aspire to become doulas in medically underserved areas.
During the session, Sen. Jonathan Lindsey (R-Allen) attempted to amend Sen. Geiss’s bills, advocating for DHHS reporting to include information on racial disparities in abortions.
Lindsey insinuated that the "Momnibus" package neglected to address the issue of abortion access, stating, "[This] proves for this chamber that the majority is not serious about improving health outcomes for all mothers and newborn children in our state."
Sen. Geiss responded by emphasizing the singular focus of the "Momnibus" bills – to ensure the health and well-being of mothers who choose to carry their pregnancies to term.
The Senate has forwarded these bills to the House Committee on Health Policy, where they will undergo further review. House Bill 5826 is scheduled to return to the House floor for further consideration. The passage of these bills signifies a significant step towards addressing the profound racial inequalities plaguing maternal healthcare in Michigan.
