The growing problem of preterm birth can best be addressed through collaboration between the public and private sectors.
In keeping with its mission, March of Dimes advocacy at the federal and state levels seeks to improve access to health coverage and to increase support for prematurity-related research and education.
Reauthorize the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
The March of Dimes is working collaboratively with members of Congress to promote a bipartisan CHIP reauthorization bill. The Foundation supports legislation that:
- Maintains health insurance coverage for infants, children and pregnant women currently enrolled
- Provides states the resources they need to cover additional children and pregnant women who meet the program's eligibility requirements, but are currently uninsured
In addition, the March of Dimes supports the following policy improvements to CHIP:
- Permitting states to enroll uninsured pregnant women who meet CHIP income requirements without having to obtain a federal waiver. Access to the full spectrum of clinically recommended maternity services—prenatal through postpartum care—will improve birth outcomes by reducing risk for both mother and infant.
- Requiring the development of pediatric performance measures and improved reporting on the quality of care provided to infants and children enrolled in CHIP and Medicaid.
- Changing the law to make it easier for states to combine CHIP with private coverage to provide comprehensive coverage.
PREEMIE Act (P.L. 109-450)
In 2006, Congress recognized the growing health crisis of preterm birth by approving the PREEMIE Act (P.L. 109-450). The PREEMIE Act authorizes increased federal support for research and education on prematurity. It also calls for a Surgeon General's conference and report on preterm birth that will serve as an agenda for setting national research, education and services priorities relating to preterm labor and delivery.
The March of Dimes is working with the Administration and Congress to secure the funds needed to implement the provisions of this recently enacted measure. Planning for the Surgeon General's Conference is under way with the meeting projected to take place during the late spring or early summer of 2008.
National Children's Study
The National Children's Study is the largest long-term study of genetic and environmental effects on children's health ever conducted in the
The study will be an invaluable resource for data on causes of premature birth as well as birth defects and infant mortality. The March of Dimes, the
October 2007
