Black Maternal Health Week spurs new legislation from Michigan Democrats

It’s Black Maternal Health Week. It might seem odd for this to be racially specific until you realize that, in the United States, Black mothers die three times more often than their white counterparts. A new set of bills dubbed the “Momnibus” is being introduced in the Michigan Legislature this week with the goal of easing those disparities. Sen. Erika Geiss (D-Taylor) has introduced multiple bills and co-sponsored several others. The first of her bills would require the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) to maintain a maternal mortality review team to collect data and recommend best practices. “Now we do already have a maternal mortality review board in the state,” Geiss said. “But this would require even more connective tissue, if you will, with the MDHHS and with that data collection.” Senate Bill 819 would require the Michigan Department of Civil Rights to receive patient reports that identify experiences with obstetric racism and violence. Geiss says it’s about being able to hold doctors and hospital systems accountable while changing the inequities built into the health care system. “I think that while there there may be in some cases malice aforethought,” Geiss said. “Probably in many other cases,...