News Release: June 18, 2015

Contact: Robert Hart, 718-545-3889

New York State Becomes First in the Nation to Ensure Prenatal

Care for All
Elected Officials and Advocates Applaud Creation of New Qualifying Event
Albany Today, New York became the first state in the nation to advance legislation to
ensure prenatal care for all. The New York State Assembly and the New York State Senate
passed legislation to make pregnancy a qualifying event for enrollment in a health insurance
plan. The legislation, introduced in the Assembly by Assemblymember Aravella Simotas and in
the Senate by Senator James Seward and championed by Senators Liz Krueger and Kemp
Hannon, followed a report by NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer that highlighted the need for
expanded access to vital prenatal care.
Under current law, New Yorkers can enroll in health insurance only during a designated
open enrollment period, unless they experience a qualifying event triggering a special enrollment
period. Qualifying events include marriage, divorce, and gaining citizenship, among others.
While giving birth opens enrollment, becoming pregnant does not. This legislation closes this
loophole, allowing women who become pregnant to apply for insurance at any time and
guarantees access to prenatal care.
Prenatal care is essential for healthy pregnancies and healthy babies. Children born to
mothers who received no prenatal care are three times more likely to be born at low birth weight,
and five times more likely to die, than those whose mothers received prenatal care. This costly
care was out of reach for many uninsured New Yorkers.
Today, New York State took a major step towards establishing access to prenatal care as
a right for all women, regardless of income, said Simotas. I know firsthand how important
prenatal care is and I am so grateful to NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer for championing this

issue. I applaud Assembly Insurance Committee Chair Cahill and Senators Seward, Krueger and
Hannon for their hard work in ensuring that women and childrens health is not placed at the
mercy of an arbitrary date on the calendar.
Chairman of the Senate Insurance Committee Senator James L. Seward said, Quality
prenatal health care is vital to ensuring the well-being of both mother and child alike. Clearing
insurance hurdles to help pregnant women access health care will help head off a number of
health risks and provide long-term cost savings to the states health care system.
New York City comptroller Scott M. Stringer said, "As my report made clear earlier this
year, the failure to provide prenatal care to mothers and their children hurts public health and the
economy. Today's historic legislation ensures that every woman in New York State will be able to
enroll in health insurance when they become pregnant. I thank Senators Liz Krueger, James
Seward, Kemp Hannon and Assembly Member Aravella Simotas for their tireless advocacy and I
urge Governor Cuomo to sign this bill into law."
Assemblymember Cahill said, "Improving access to health care for pregnant women and
assuring appropriate neonatal care is the surest way to produce healthy children.
Assemblywoman Simotas, together with advocates like the March of Dimes, have been tenacious
in making sure this coverage is available. They and the legislature should be applauded."
State Senator Liz Kruger said, "I am extremely gratified that together we were able to
take this bill over the finish line and ensure that every woman in New York has the opportunity
to purchase health insurance during pregnancy. Thank you to Assembly Member Simotas,
Senators Seward and Hannon, Comptroller Stringer and all the advocates who have supported
this effort. When the Governor signs this bill, which I urge him to do as soon as possible, it will
make New York the first state in the nation to close this glaring loophole."
Establishing a special enrollment period for pregnant women is a real victory for
maternal and child health, stated Dr. Iffath Abbasi Hoskins, a volunteer member of the March of
Dimes New York Chapters Advocacy and Government Affairs Committee. Without this new
law, women who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid could find themselves without coverage
options unless they discovered they were pregnant within the short open enrollment period. The
March of Dimes commends Assembly members Kevin A. Cahill and Aravella Simotas, Senators
Kemp Hannon, Liz Krueger and James Seward, and New York City Comptroller Scott M.
Stringer for championing this important legislation, which will help pregnant women obtain
health coverage when they need it most.
Carol Blowers, Interim CEO of Family Planning Advocates of New York said, Today
the Assembly acted in the best interests of New York State by connecting pregnant women to
insurance coverage at a time when access to health care is extremely critical to the health and
long-term well-being of women and their children. Allowing pregnant woman to obtain health
insurance removes a barrier that kept our most vulnerable New Yorkers at risk.

Joan Malin, President and CEO, Planned Parenthood of New York City said, "Planned
Parenthood of New York City applauds Assembly Member Aravella Simotas for championing
this legislation to expand access to health care for pregnant New Yorkers. It's essential that
women who are uninsured when they become pregnant have the opportunity to get insurance
through the Affordable Care Act outside of the open enrollment period. This legislation will
improve the health of pregnant women, their families, and their communities."
Andrea Miller, President of NARAL Pro-Choice New York, says, NARAL Pro-Choice
New York applauds the State Legislature for passing this commonsense legislation that ensures
that pregnant women get the prenatal care they need, when they need it most. With this bill set to
become law, New York is the first state in the nation to treat pregnancy as a pivotal life
experience in line with other qualifying events like marriage, divorce and the birth or adoption of
a child. This bill is not only good for women, its good for the health of all New York families.
Access to health care is critical to ensuring a healthy pregnancy and a healthy birth, said
Elie Ward, Director of Policy & Advocacy for the New York State American Academy of
Pediatrics. Adding pregnancy to the list of qualifying events which trigger a special enrollment
option for insurance, which already includes marriage, divorce and birth, is critical to assuring
access for all women to vital, comprehensive prenatal care," she added.
NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman said, No woman should have to forgo
prenatal care simply because she cannot afford the hefty out of pocket costs. The bills passed
today will significantly reduce barriers to pregnancy related care by ensuring pregnant New
Yorkers have access to health insurance.
Young Invincibles spokesperson Christina Postolowski said, "We applaud the New York
Legislature for ensuring that no pregnant woman has to go without access to life-saving health
coverage. Women will now be able to sign up for a plan through New York State of Health that
includes prenatal care, regardless of their income or when they become pregnant. This can lead
to better health outcomes for moms and newborns, saving hospitals and consumers money in the
long run. With the passage of this bill, New York is setting a strong example that we hope other
states will follow."
Today the New York State Assembly & Senate removed health insurance barriers for
pregnant women by designating pregnancy as a "qualifying life event" and allowing for a special
enrollment period." stated Donna Montalto, Executive Director of the American Congress of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists, District II " We congratulate and commend Assemblywoman
Simotas, Senator Seward, Senator Krueger & Senator Hannon for working together to ensure
women can access prenatal care as soon as they know they are pregnant. This bill will provide
women the best opportunity for a healthy pregnancy and babies a healthy beginning."