Bipartisan panel highlights maternal health needs

May 11, 2026 - 23:23

A bipartisan panel of lawmakers has released a new report underscoring the urgent need to address rising maternal mortality in the United States. The findings show that the U.S. maternal death rate doubled over the past two decades, and more than 80% of those deaths were preventable. The report, issued by a joint congressional working group, highlights deep racial and geographic disparities, with Black women dying at significantly higher rates than white women, and rural areas facing worse outcomes than urban centers.

The panel's recommendations include expanding access to doula and midwifery care, improving data collection on pregnancy-related deaths, and extending Medicaid coverage for new mothers from 60 days to a full year. Lawmakers from both parties stressed that the issue is not a partisan one, noting that maternal mortality affects families across the political spectrum. "This is a crisis that demands a coordinated response, not finger-pointing," said one co-chair of the task force. The report also calls for better training for healthcare providers on recognizing warning signs and for more investment in community-based support programs. Advocates have long pushed for these changes, but the bipartisan nature of the panel's findings could give the recommendations more weight in upcoming budget negotiations. The panel plans to hold hearings in the coming months to push for legislative action.