Committee unanimously approves Sen. Carney bill to provide health insurance coverage for postpartum care

AUGUSTA — On Tuesday, Feb. 8, a bill from Sen. Anne Carney, D-Cape Elizabeth, to help more Mainers receive the postpartum health care they need in the months following childbirth passed committee. LD 1357, “An Act To Require Private Insurance Coverage for Postpartum Care,” received a unanimous, bipartisan vote.

“The first three months following the birth of a child are wonderful, but challenging,” said Sen. Carney. “New parents are recovering from childbirth, caring for an infant, navigating medical conditions and preparing to return to work. This bill will provide insurance coverage that will allow Maine women to successfully transition to parenthood, return to a stable health condition and get back to work.”

As written, LD 1357 will require insurers to provide coverage for postpartum care that meets the recommendations of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). In 2021, the ACOG reaffirmed its report, “Optimizing Postpartum Care,” that provides a new framework for postpartum care. Rather than a single encounter, this updated model recommends ongoing postpartum care that provides services and support based on a patient’s individual needs. This type of care is referred to as “fourth trimester care.”

In general, postpartum care can help mothers and patients recover from birth complications including pain and bleeding, high blood pressure, lactation difficulties and pelvic floor dysfunction. In fact, more than a quarter of women in the United States, after giving birth, have pelvic floor disorder with long-term symptoms. Treatment like physical therapy can strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and improve quality of life. However, private insurance coverage for postpartum care is very limited and doesn’t cover this and other necessary care. LD 1357 would help cover treatments like this and more.

The bill faces further votes in the Senate and House.

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