January 4, 2024

State of the State Proposal #3 discussed (below and attached)

As you can see, and on the heels of Proposal #1 that seeks to waive copays for Insulin, the Governor is again proposing to eliminate co-pays that create barriers to accessing health services, this time for pregnancy-related care.

Governor Hochul’s Third Proposal of 2024 State of the State

Promoting Maternal and Infant Health
Governor Hochul shared a maternal and infant health initiative this morning, the third pillar of her 2024 State of the State. For the first time in two decades, infant mortality rate and maternal mortality rate are increasing in New York and nationwide with black and brown mothers and infants at an even greater risk. To address this crisis and ensure more mothers and babies stay alive and thrive, Governor Hochul will be including a 6-point plan in her FY 2025 Executive Budget. The first part of this proposal is to make New York the first state in the nation to have a paid family leave program for prenatal care to ensure that moms can take time off to take care of themselves. Additionally, the Governor plans to address rising caesarean section use rates by doctors for low-risk pregnancies by providing financial incentives for doctors to not perform these medical procedures. Other parts of this proposal include allowing doulas to be accessed without a referral, legislation to eliminate co-pays for pregnancy-related care which will benefit 1.3 million New Yorkers, and funding to provide every family that needs help with cribs in New York. Lastly, specialized training on maternal mental health will be developed for the 988 Lifeline and there will be expanded perinatal, lactation, nurse, and other education programs to support mothers with informed, compassionate care.

To view the full press release and more details on the proposal, see the attached PDF.

Governor Hochul will deliver the official 2024 State of the State Address on Tuesday, January 9th at 1:00PM.