Today is Maternal Health Awareness Day — a reminder that our health, and the health of the people we love most, is shaped by the policy decisions leaders make.

Saving moms' lives should never be a partisan issue. But here in Wisconsin, it's been turned into one, and families are paying the price.

Here's the reality: 2 in 5 births in Wisconsin are covered by Medicaid . Yet in November, Wisconsin Republicans blocked a bill that would have extended lifesaving Medicaid coverage for new moms from just two months after birth to a full year. Every single state except Wisconsin and Arkansas has already taken this step. Red states. Blue states. Purple states. Almost everyone agrees — moms need support after childbirth.

And the data couldn't be clearer.

* From 2020 to 2023, one-third of pregnancy-related deaths happened after the two-month postpartum mark, when coverage in Wisconsin often disappears. The impact is especially devastating for Black and Hispanic women and low-income women — Black women in Wisconsin are 2.5 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women.

* We also know geography matters. Too many Wisconsin counties are maternal health deserts, with no hospitals offering obstetric care at all. Expanding Medicaid wouldn't just save lives — it would strengthen rural hospitals and ensure moms can access care regardless of their ZIP code.

Instead of addressing this crisis, Republican leaders are bragging about cutting Medicaid.

We know what works. Expanding Medicaid access saves moms' lives. Wisconsin families deserve leaders who put care over politics and act with urgency when lives are on the line.

On Maternal Health Awareness Day, we should be honest about where Wisconsin stands and clear about what must change.

More soon,

Sarah

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