Sen. Ron Muzzall: Cutting maternal health care isn’t just misguided - it’s dangerous

By Sen. Ron Muzzall

As a legislator, father of three daughters and a grandfather, I believe the way we care for mothers and babies reflects our values. That’s why I’ve worked across the aisle to expand access to critical care for expectant and new mothers, improving maternal health outcomes across Washington.

It’s also why I’m deeply alarmed by House Bill 2041. The bill would reduce postpartum Medicaid coverage from 12 months to just six, to save the state less than $3 million a year. But this so-called savings would come at a far greater cost: the health and lives of new mothers.

We have clear, state-specific data showing why this is a dangerous move. According to the Washington State Maternal Mortality Review Panel, 31% of deaths occur between 43 days and one year postpartum, the same window HB 2041 would partially eliminate.

More concerning, the panel identified behavioral health conditions as the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths, including suicide and overdose. These aren’t theoretical concerns. According to state data, 58% of maternal suicides and 65% of overdoses happen within that same timeframe. A significant portion of these could still occur after the six-month mark, when HB 2041 would end coverage.

In other words, a larger share of maternal deaths occurs postpartum than during pregnancy or at the time of birth. It makes no sense to reduce coverage for mothers in need during these critical months when they’re most at risk.

These numbers are heartbreaking, and they are preventable. In fact, the state’s own review panel concluded that 80% of maternal deaths in Washington are preventable and explicitly recommended extending postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months.

We agreed with those findings in 2021 when the Legislature passed Senate Bill 5068, a bipartisan law I co-sponsored, to extend postpartum coverage to one year. The bill’s intent was clear: Longer coverage would save lives and reduce racial, geographic and income-based disparities. House Bill 2041 would unravel that progress.

In a frustrating contrast of priorities, the legislative majority also failed to advance my proposal, Senate Bill 5075, which would have ensured all health plans fully cover prenatal and postnatal care, eliminating out-of-pocket costs for families.

That’s why this moment is so troubling. If a Republican majority had proposed cutting postpartum care to trim $11 million from the budget over the next four years, there would be outrage, and rightly so. Progressive lawmakers would speak out passionately in defense of mothers, families and equity.

But now, the same cut is coming from the House Democratic majority. I urge my colleagues, especially those who have championed maternal health in the past, not to stay silent now. This is the time to show that equity and compassion are more than slogans.

We cannot claim to support maternal health while undermining it in the same breath. If we’re serious about addressing disparities, we can’t ignore that American Indian and Alaska Native women in Washington are 8.5 times more likely to die from pregnancy-associated causes than white women. Many of these woman are covered by Medicaid, and would lose post-partum coverage under HB 2041.

And this isn’t just a Washington issue. A recent New York Times article showed that the pandemic worsened maternal mortality nationwide, especially for women of color. In response, 44 states, many led by Republican legislatures, extended postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months. This is one of the few areas where both parties have found common ground. Rolling it back now would make Washington an outlier for all the wrong reasons.

The evidence is clear. The experts have spoken. And the consequences of inaction are deadly.

I urge the Legislature to reject HB 2041 and stand by our commitment to Washington’s mothers and families. Budgeting is about priorities, and cutting care for new moms should never be one of them.

Sen. Ron Muzzall represents Washington’s 10th Legislative District and lives in Oak Harbor. He has championed bipartisan maternal health legislation in the state Senate and served previously as the Ranking Republican on the state Senate Health Care Committee.