As many of you have seen in the media, thousands of Nebraska moms have lost acess to prenatal care - we need your help to protect their care to ensure that their babies are born healthy. Prenatal care for babies is critical for their healthy development.
Voices for Children has set up a new website: www.babiesbornhealthy.com with videos and blog entries with the latest information on the issue. Take a moment to check out the page and leave a comment or two.
For nearly 30 years, Nebraska has recognized the importance of prenatal care for the health of babies and moms and has provided access to affordable prenatal care to low-income mothers through Medicaid. In late 2009, the state received notice from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) which indicated that Nebraska could no longer provide this care through Medicaid – but CMS indicated that Nebraska could continue to provide this prenatal care under another federal program, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). To take advantage of this simple solution, which allows medical services to be delivered to the unborn child (called the “unborn child option”), Senator Kathy Campbell has introduced Legislative Bill 1110.
For more on LB 1110, see Voices for Children's special update: Protecting Prenatal Care Update
Fact Sheets
Investing in Healthy Moms and Healthy Babies
Prenatal Care: Keeping Babies Health, Saving Babies’ Lives
Voices for Children's position
Voices for Children in Nebraska testified in support of LB 1110 at the Health and Human Services Committee. For more on Voices for Children's position read our testimony.
Press statement on the passage of LB 1110 from committee
There are three things you can do today to help protect prenatal care for expectant mothers and their soon-to-be born babies:
1.) Contact your state senator and tell them to support LB 1110.
Find your senator - Enter your address in the search box in the bottom right corner of the map, then click on the map to bring up your Senator's name. Click more info to go to their webpage. Contact information is in the top right side of the page.
The message is as simple as "My name is _______ and I'm a consituent. I am calling to urge you to support LB 1110 an protect prenatal care so babies can be born healthy."
If you want more to say, we have prepared some talking points for you.
View Protect Prenatal Care Talking Points
2.) Go to www.babiesbornhealthy.com and become a fan on Facebook, follow on Twitter or comment on the blog.
3.) Tell a friend (or 20) about www.babiesbornhealthy.com and encourage them to help protect prenatal care for Nebraska's babies.
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