ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Maryland lawmakers Friday passed a bill to expand Medicaid to cover prenatal and postpartum care to expecting mothers regardless of immigration status.
The Healthy Baby Equality Act was enacted into law after the Governor failed to veto the bill, following the House and Senate with veto-proof majorities.
“This victory, powered by immigrant mothers across the state, will keep pregnant mothers and their babies safe and healthy,” said Cathryn Ann Paul, CASA’s Government Relations and Public Policy Manager.
Arelis, a pregnant mother of Columbia, Maryland, spoke out in favor of the law. This single mom is three months pregnant with twins and has a high-risk pregnancy due to multiple cysts and internal bleeding. Without insurance, she makes the difficult choice not to visit the OB/GYN to avoid the expensive bills.
“I don’t want to lose my babies, but I also can’t afford the medical bills that come from this health problem,” said Arelis. “Bills like this one can safeguard moms like me from making impossible choices. No one should be faced with getting a bill they can’t pay off and getting the right care. For some mothers, prenatal care can be the difference between life and death. That’s why I fought for this bill.”
The bill goes into effect on July 1 of this year.
