Florida’s Prenatal Care Crisis: The Impact of Medicaid Policy

A new report shows that Florida has some of the worst prenatal care in the United States. Many women in Florida miss important medical visits during the first three months of their pregnancies due to the cost of these visits. About 32% of Florida women didn’t start prenatal care early, compared to the national average of 23%. This means fewer Florida women get the care they need at the beginning of their pregnancy.

The Commonwealth Fund report, also found that Florida’s lack of Medicaid growth is a big reason why women are having a hard time paying for these medical visits. Medicaid, which helps low-income individuals pay for healthcare, only covers up to 10 prenatal care visits in Florida. This leaves many people not to have health insurance coverage, especially since Florida has not expanded Medicaid to cover more people who need it.

Overall, Florida is less ranked when it comes to women’s healthcare needs compared to other states. It’s ranked 39th in the country, partly due to problems like high maternal mortality rates, and fewer women having health insurance. Other states like California and Connecticut, which have expanded the Medicaid program, often have better healthcare results for women.