Human Services Committee
JOINT FAVORABLE REPORT
Bill No.: SB-911
AN ACT REQUIRING THE STATE TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FOR
Title: PRENATAL CARE.
Vote Date: 3/9/2021
Vote Action: Joint Favorable
PH Date: 2/23/2021
File No.:
Disclaimer: The following JOINT FAVORABLE Report is prepared for the benefit of the
members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and
explanation and does not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber
thereof for any purpose.
SPONSORS OF BILL:
Human Services Committee
REASONS FOR BILL:
This bill would require the Commissioner of Social Services to provide medical assistance for
prenatal care through the unborn child option under the HUSKY B program, Childrens
Health Insurance Program (CHIP). This bill seeks to expand access to prenatal care to
address health inequities and improve health outcomes for pregnant women and children. In
turn, this investment is cost-saving for the state in the long-term.
RESPONSE FROM ADMINISTRATION/AGENCY:
Deidre Gifford, Commissioner, Department of Social Services opposes this bill because the
Governors budget does not include funding for this expansion. She notes that the
Department recognizes the merits of expanding funding for prenatal care for women who do
not currently qualify under wither CHIP or Medicaid due to their immigration status.
Sarah Healy Eagan, Acting Child Advocate, Office of The Child Advocate strongly supports
this bill as it improves birth outcomes for children, improves health equity in the state, and
helps reduce preventable child fatalities. The OCA believes that expanding access to
undocumented pregnant women will encourage preventative care, thus reducing
expenditures associated with poor health and development outcomes for children.
NATURE AND SOURCES OF SUPPORT:
Nicole Sanclemente, Policy and Program Associate, Connecticut Womens Education and
Legal Fund (CWEALF)
Patricia A. Rossi
Amanda N. Kallen, Connecticut Section Vice Chair, American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists,
Samantha Cohen Tamulis, Certified Nurse Midwife
They all support this bill because access to healthcare is a human right and should be
accessible to all pregnant people regardless of their immigration status. They all comment
that prenatal care is vital in ensuring improved health outcomes for parents and newborns.
Ms. Kallen and Ms. Tamulis add that when pregnant women cannot access medical
insurance during their pregnancy, they are oftentimes forced to decline important testing and
delay seeking care because of excessively high costs. Consequently, the rates of childbirth-
related hospitalization for undocumented women are much higher.
Kelly McConney Moore, Interim Senior Policy Counsel, American Civil Liberties Union of
Connecticut (ACLU-CT)
Gretchen Raffa, Senior Director, Public Policy, Advocacy & Organizing, Planned Parenthood
of Southern New England
They support this bill because denying people access to health care during pregnancy is
reproductive injustice. This bill is a step in ensuring that all people, regardless of immigration
status, are given access to life-saving prenatal care and full reproductive autonomy. ACLU-
CT believes that this bill aims to rectify the twin injustices of immigration status discrimination
and denial of reproductive autonomy by providing that any person who gives birth to a child
eligible for HUSKY coverage shall also be entitled to coverage during their pregnancy. This
continuum of care will significantly improve health outcomes for children and mothers,
lowering the staggering rates of maternal mortality rates and racial disparities in pregnancy
outcomes in Connecticut.
NATURE AND SOURCES OF OPPOSITION:
There are no sources of opposition to this bill.
Reported by: Gianna Vollano Date: March 21, 2021
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