In May, the Executive Council voted 3-2 against a full federally funded contract to study ways to make women’s health care, particularly postpartum care, better and more affordable. The vote was not partisan. The three men on the Council (Joe Kenney, David Wheeler, and John Stephen) voted against the contract while the two women on the council (Karen Liot Hill and Janet Stevens) voted in support. Yesterday, the Council voted in favor of the contracts, and they passed!

Many of you took action and emailed the Councilors to reconsider their vote and your passion made the difference. Thank you for your advocacy! And special thanks to Governor Ayotte and Councilors Janet Stevens and Karen Liot Hill for their leadership and steadfast support for these women’s health contracts.

The majority of Granite Staters are covered by commercial insurance, and pregnancy and birth are the highest out-of-pocket expense of any health diagnosis or incident. These contracts would propose ways to make sure women and moms with commercial insurance get the postpartum care they need with lower costs.

New Hampshire women continue to face serious gaps in maternal health and wellness including, disparities in access to adequate prenatal care by race, ethnicity, income, and location, putting them at increased risk for poor birth outcomes. In the past two decades, 11 maternity wards in the state have closed, disproportionately affecting women in rural communities.

Women’s health is not a partisan issue, but it is clear that women’s leadership is needed to ensure comprehensive and affordable women’s health care. We know that regardless of party, women in elected office are more likely to vote for efforts that support women and girls, and this was made abundantly clear in the Executive Council’s vote.

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