Lawmakers pressed to address Black maternal health disparities

Advocates pushed Michigan lawmakers to address racial differences in maternal healthcare this week.
 
State numbers show Black women die during childbirth more than two-and-half times as often as white women.
 
That’s led the group “Mothering Justice Action Fund” to call on lawmakers to pass policies to lower than disparity.
 
Aisha Wells, with Mothering Justice, says she believes that “momnibus” legislation can still pass this year, despite being held up in a House committee for around a year.
 
“I think that we can get a lot of moms, families, people who understand that mamas should not die if they’re having a baby. I think that’s simple enough for lawmakers to understand that we can pass that policy.”
 
House Health Policy Committee leadership did not give its position on the bills or say why they hadn't moved yet. 
 
Instead, it said it wants to focus on bills that would address health care for all moms and babies in the state.