(Discontinued illegal immigrants) Prenatal care cuts up for review

[Omaha Steve]

This is a PRO LIFE STATE?

http://www.omaha.com/article/20101120/NEWS01/101119648/0#prenatal-care-cuts-up-for-review

By Paul Hammel

Published Saturday November 20, 2010

LINCOLN -- One of the most controversial issues of the year -- whether illegal immigrants should get government-paid prenatal care -- will be debated again in 2011 by the Nebraska Legislature.

That was the word from three lawmakers after hearing reports Friday that four stillbirths and one premature death had occurred since the state decided to end prenatal services for such women.

Charity health-care facilities in Omaha and Columbus also said they have been overwhelmed since the prenatal coverage was dropped.

“This is not an immigration issue, this is about the health and well-being of our children,” said State Sen. Brad Ashford of Omaha.

Ashford, along with Sens. Kathy Campbell of Lincoln and Bob Krist of Omaha, said a bill will be introduced next year to resurrect prenatal services.

The debate was a battle royale last spring, pitting the issues of illegal immigration against protecting unborn life with preventative health care that saves money in the long run.

FULL story at link.

[Starry Messenger]

1. recommend.

There are no words.


"About a year ago, federal Medicaid officials informed Nebraska that it had to change or drop its decades-long policy of providing government-paid prenatal care because it was being done improperly.

The state restored the care for some women, but about 1,600 low-income women lost the coverage March 1, including 840 who were in the country illegally.

Rebecca Rayman of the Good Neighbor Community Health Center in Columbus said her clinic has seen four stillbirths since March, after having none in the previous six years.

“Only God knows” whether all those deaths were attributable to the lack of prenatal care, Rayman said. She believes at least one of the stillbirths was.

Two emergency births took place at a South Omaha clinic because women were afraid of the high costs they might incur if they went to a hospital.

One of the infants was delivered at 20 weeks and died, said Andrea Skolkin of OneWorld Community Health Centers. The infant's mother had received no prenatal care."