Presentation on Prenatal Access to Care (Powerpoint)
Haley Pickus, Adiba Ali, Emma Burghardt
Pregnant patients covered by Medicaid (Apple Health).
Prenatal care promotes lifetime benefits: decreases maternal and infant mortality; economic benefits: decreased healthcare costs, increased productivity. Every dollar spent could produce $15 in WA State.
Average of 5,500 births per year in Clark County (CC).
2023 percentage of Medicaid births was 38% overall with Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders the largest group.
Average of patients in CC who receive inadequate prenatal care (prenatal care started in 5^th month or later or had <80% of recommended visits) in 2023 was 27%.
Clients struggle to find adequate care.
Making recommendations on state and federal level to improve care and ask Board of Health to advocate for changes and adequate funding.
Councilor Belkott: how was the 27% figure derived? Ans: from birth certificate data.
Councilor Belkott: Is there a list of providers that accept Medicaid? Ans: the managed care providers indicate who accepts Medicaid but is often out of date.
Councilor Little: When can CC take action? What can we do? Ans: need to work closely with affected communities. There is inadequate access to interpreters.
Councilor Little: I would like us to write a resolution as a priority, call for a roundtable.
Council Chair Marshall: We can put together a taskforce and create a work plan.
Councilor Belkott: would like to address access to the providers that take Medicaid…make a list. Ans: the managed care providers who contract with Apple Health; the State Health Care Authority (HCA) is working on that.
Councilor Yung: suggest involving the Public Health Advisory Council.
Dr. Melnick: Provider availability needs to be addressed; CC has lost providers.
Council Chair Marshall: what is the overall trend in the birth rate in CC? Ans: tracks same as the State and US…it is decreasing.
Council Chair Marshall: why do providers refuse patients who are too far along? Ans: providers case loads are too full; it is a capacity issue.
Dr. Melnick: there are access issues for Medicaid overall.
Council Chair Marshall: Jordan will work on a workplan and a resolution and come back to the Board.

Comments from the Public:

C. DeLeone: racism is systemic in health care.
Win Gersich: Watch Dr. Phil on PrimeTime. Talked about medical care being denied.
K. Elbon: pay attention to W. Gersich. Son is in jail and the system is broken.

Meeting adjourned.

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