In this episode of The Birth Lounge podcast, HeHe dives into what’s happening in women's health and healthcare access, focusing on the postpartum landscape and recent budget cuts impacting Medicaid. Special guest Natalie Davis, founder of United States of Care, joins to discuss pivotal healthcare legislation, Medicaid’s role in maternal and infant health, and the importance of universal access to quality healthcare. The discussion also touches on the power of virtual care and current legislative threats to preventive health services. We hope this episode will equip and inspire you to engage in local healthcare advocacy.

01:34 Current State of Women's Health in the US

02:23 Introducing Natalie Davis

05:51 Challenges in Postpartum Care

10:04 Impact of Budget Cuts on Medicaid

16:16 Supreme Court Case on Preventive Services

22:38 Advocacy for Better Healthcare

27:44 Universal Healthcare Debate

28:38 Debating Healthcare Access and Affordability

31:05 The 100 Weeks Project: Supporting Postpartum Women

32:57 Personalized and Comprehensive Postpartum Care

34:53 Navigating the Postpartum System

40:38 Resources for NICU Families and Mental Health Support

42:07 Legislation Impacting Women's Health

43:30 The Rise of Virtual Care

50:53 Getting Involved in Local Legislation

53:33 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

Guest Bio:

For nearly two decades, Natalie Davis has worked shaping and implementing American health care policies to improve the lives of all people. In 2018, she and fellow national health care leaders, such as Andy Slavitt, launched United States of Care to ensure that everyone in the country has access to quality, affordable health care through a community-driven policy change. She is relentless in her person-centered approach to building health care solutions and has a history of building partnerships that work to create positive change in our country’s health care system. From 2010-2016, Natalie served at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services implementing the Affordable Care Act, with the final two years as Senior Advisor to former CMS Administrator, Andy Slavitt. A social entrepreneur, Natalie also helped found Town Hall Ventures which focuses on bringing the best of innovation and care delivery to diverse communities. Natalie also served as the Director of Strategic Engagement at the Bipartisan Policy Center. Natalie holds an M.A. in Philosophy from George Washington University and is an alumna of Salisbury University schools of Sociology and Art History. Natalie lives in Washington, DC with her amazing husband and four children.

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State of Postpartum Care (State Maps)

Journey Map

Preventive Services Resource Hub

https://www.marchofdimes.org/our-work/nicu-family-support

https://postpartum.net/