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Minutes for HB2573 - Committee on Health and Human Services
Short Title
Providing for study and investigation of maternal deaths by the secretary of health and environment.
Minutes Content for Mon, Feb 12, 2018
The hearing on HB2573 was opened by Chairperson Hawkins.
Norm Furse, Revisor Emeritus, presented the bill brief which relates to the study and investigation of the death of any woman from any cause while pregnant or within one calendar year from the end of the pregnancy. This bill is an amendment to an existing statute with the new language commencing on p. 1, line 13 and running through p. 3, line 29 (Attachment 11).
Proponent:
Kelli Krase, MD, Obstetrician and Gynecologist, a proponent, said since maternal mortality is increasing in our country, we need access to medical records so we can have a confidential and privileged deep dive into the cases of every maternal death, in order to learn how in the future to prevent these young mothers from dying Attachment 12).
Megan McMahon, MD, Resident, Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Kansas Medical Center, advised that she thinks maternal deaths are a matter of public health, with outcomes that can be changed; therefore, she urged support for HB2573 that creates maternal mortality review boards (Attachment 13).
Melinda Tourni, Board Member, Kansas Midwives Alliance, said she has been researching the maternal and pregnancy related death statistics in Kansas since 2014, and says, Kansas lacks a formal maternal mortality review process that makes statewide preventative actions unclear or difficult to implement. She stated further that the Kansas Midwives Alliance supports the bill and maintains the position that the state needs a review program that generates best practice recommendations for preventing maternal deaths (Attachment 14).
Robert Noland, Lobbyist, Kansas Section, American Congress of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, reported that his national organization supports HB2573 because reports show that there has surprisingly been no significant improvement in maternal mortality in the United States for more than 25 years, and nationally, maternal deaths rates have increased more than 25 percent from 2000 to 2014 (Attachment 15).
Opponents:
No opponents appeared before the committee.
Neutral:
No neutral parties appeared before the committee.
Proponent written:
Proponent written testimony was submitted by the following:
Melissa Hague, MD, FACOG, Chair, Kansas Section, American Congress of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (Attachment 16);
Charles W Gibbs, MD, MFA, FACOG, Chair, Kansas Section, American Congress of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (Attachment 17);
Board of Directors, Kansas Affiliate of the American College Nurse Midwives (Attachment 18);
Shalae Harris, Director of Advocacy, March of Dimes (Attachment 19);
Rachelle Colombo, Director, Government Affairs, Kansas Medical Society (Attachment 20);
Rachel Sisson, Director, Kansas Department of Health and Environment (Attachment 21).
Opponent and Neutral written:
There was no opponent nor neutral written testimony submitted to the committee.
Several questions were raised concerning the definition of maternal death. Another question was if a mother would be included if she died after having an abortion within the stated time frame for a maternal death. The answer was yes. Another questions centered on suicide of a mother, and if that would be investigated as a maternal death and the answer was also yes.
When the committee concluded their questions and discussion, the Chairperson closed the hearing on HB2573.
