· May 17, 2013

Senate seeks savings by cutting healthcare for pregnant women

Currently the Senate is discussing alternatives to Governor Kasich’s proposed expansion of Medicaid.  When discussing the alternatives, Senate President Faber suggested the following as a potential alternative:

Current federal rules ban any changes in eligibility for children until 2019. However, the state could reduce eligibility for roughly 8,600 pregnant women and 5,700 disabled workers without seeking federal approval. “That gives us additional savings we can put in other things,” Faber said.

Yet studies have shown that infant mortality is linked to maternal health.  Ohio currently has the 11th highest infant mortality rate in the country.  You’d think a pro-life Senator, like Senator Faber, would be supportive of programs that reduce infant mortality.