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Provide an at-home wellness visit within the first two weeks of delivery SB 667 / AB 698

Under this bill, every parent of a newborn would be guaranteed a home visit by a doula within two weeks of delivery, covered by insurance. At the home visit, a doula would provide breastfeeding support and evaluate the mother and baby’s emotional and social wellbeing. While it is typical for postpartum mothers to follow up with their physician after giving birth, this at-home visit would be complementary to the standard six-week visit, as it would provide a holistic wellness check for the mother and baby as opposed to medical support. Even more, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists estimate that four in ten women never attend a postpartum visit. 

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Introduced by Representatives Stubbs, Neubauer, Cabrera, Hong, Baldeh, Anderson, Andraca, Bowen, Brostoff, Conley, Considine, Emerson, Haywood, Hebl, Hesselbein, Hintz, B. Meyers, Ohnstad, Pope, Shankland, Sinicki, Snodgrass, Spreitzer, Subeck, Vining and Vruwink;
cosponsored by Senators Johnson, Agard, Roys, Bewley, Erpenbach, Larson, Smith, Wirch and Carpenter

 

Mandate insurance coverage of maternal mental health risk screenings SB 668 / AB 697

Under this bill, insurance providers would be required to cover the costs of maternal mental health risk screenings as part of regular prenatal and postpartum care. In addition, this bill would direct the Department of Health Services (DHS), in collaboration with BIPOC-led organizations, to develop risk assessment guidelines to be used by physicians when screening patients for maternal mental health conditions. With the Centers for Disease and Control estimating that at least one in ten women suffers from postpartum anxiety and depression—conditions that disproportionately impact women of color—it is critical to have a step in the healthcare delivery system that solely focuses on maternal mental health.

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Introduced by Representatives Stubbs, Cabrera, Hong, Baldeh, Anderson, Andraca, Bowen, Brostoff, Conley, Considine, Emerson, Haywood, Hebl, Hesselbein, B. Meyers, Neubauer, Ohnstad, Pope, Shankland, Shelton, Sinicki, Snodgrass, Spreitzer, Subeck, Vining and Vruwink;
cosponsored by Senators Johnson, Agard, Roys, Bewley, Erpenbach, Larson, Ringhand, Smith, Wirch and Carpenter

 

Repeal Wisconsin’s birth cost recovery law SB 665 / AB 701

Under this bill, Wisconsin’s law that permits the recovery of birth related expenses from unwed fathers when Medicaid covers the cost of their child’s birth, would be repealed. The unintended consequences of this statute are severe: it perpetuates family poverty, contributes to parental discord, encourages lack of parental support, and delays entry into prenatal care. All of which contribute to continued lack of access and support for low-income mothers of color during their pregnancies, increasing their risk of mortality or morbidity.

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Introduced by Representatives Stubbs, Baldeh, Cabrera, Hong, Anderson, Andraca, Brostoff, Conley, Emerson, Haywood, Hebl, Hesselbein, B. Meyers, Neubauer, Ohnstad, Pope, Shankland, Shelton, Sinicki, Snodgrass, Spreitzer, Subeck, Vining and Vruwink;
cosponsored by Senators Johnson, Agard, Roys, Erpenbach, Larson, Ringhand, Smith and Carpenter

 

Establish pregnancy as a qualifying event for employer-sponsored health plans SB 669 / AB 699

Under this bill, a special enrollment period for health insurance would be provided to pregnant individuals—and any related individuals—who are eligible for coverage under the plan. This inclusion of pregnancy as a qualifying event for health insurance would allow expectant mothers who may not otherwise have coverage, to receive prenatal care immediately.

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Introduced by Representatives Stubbs, Hong, Cabrera, Baldeh, Anderson, Andraca, Bowen, Brostoff, Conley, Considine, Emerson, Haywood, Hebl, Hesselbein, B. Meyers, Neubauer, Ohnstad, Pope, Shankland, Shelton, Sinicki, Snodgrass, Spreitzer, Subeck, Vining and Vruwink;
cosponsored by Senators Johnson, L. Taylor, Agard, Roys, Bewley, Erpenbach, Larson, Smith, Wirch and Carpenter

 

Remove the sales tax on breastfeeding equipment and supplies SB 666 / AB 700

Under this bill, sales tax would not be imposed on breast pumps, breast kits, and breast pump storage and collection supplies. Instead, insurance would cover these costs. Women of color breastfeed their children at significantly lower rates than white mothers, a disparity that is attributed to lack of access to breastfeeding equipment and support. Removing this sales tax would enable women of color to receive the feeding equipment they need without the additional taxation burden.

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Introduced by Representatives Stubbs, Subeck, Cabrera, Hong, Anderson, Andraca, Bowen, Brostoff, Conley, Considine, Emerson, Haywood, Hebl, Hesselbein, B. Meyers, Neubauer, Ohnstad, Pope, Shankland, Shelton, Sinicki, Snodgrass, Spreitzer, Milroy, Vining and Vruwink;
cosponsored by Senators Johnson, Ballweg, L. Taylor, Agard, Roys, Bewley, Erpenbach, Larson, Pfaff, Ringhand, Smith, Wirch and Carpenter 

 

Expand access to dental care for pregnant BadgerCare recipients SB 670 / AB 696

Under this bill, pregnant BadgerCare recipients who are referred to a dental specialist would be treated within 60 days. Under current law, specialty care—such as orthodontic treatment and root canal therapy—is not covered under the Badgercare program. This bill would require that low-income pregnant people can access dentists who offer procedures that are more complicated than what a primary care dentist can offer. By covering the full range of dental services available, the oral health of vulnerable pregnant women would be strengthened, preventing complications of dental disease, improving birth outcomes, and decreasing dental carriers in children.

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Introduced by Senators Johnson, Agard, Roys, Bewley, Erpenbach, Larson, Pfaff, Smith, Wirch and Carpenter;
cosponsored by Representatives Stubbs, Cabrera, Hong, Baldeh, Anderson, Andraca, Bowen, Brostoff, Conley, Considine, Emerson, Haywood, Hebl, Hesselbein, B. Meyers, Neubauer, Ohnstad, Pope, Shankland, Shelton, Sinicki, Snodgrass, Spreitzer, Subeck, Vining and Vruwink