Wins for moms from this legislative session

As a mom, I know how hard it can be to navigate pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum recovery. I also know how life-changing the right support can be. For too long, Arkansas failed to invest in policies supporting moms, leaving our state with the highest maternal mortality rate in the country.

But this year, the tide has turned. Several policy changes from the latest legislative session will put us on a better path. They address real challenges Arkansas moms face: from birth, to recovery, to returning to work. These changes signal that our state is beginning to take the needs of mothers seriously.

Here are three changes I’m excited about — and why they matter:

1. Medicaid will no longer pay for maternity care in one lump sum.
Until now, Arkansas Medicaid paid one lump sum for all of a woman’s maternity care, from prenatal visits to delivery to postpartum. It didn’t matter how complex the pregnancy was or how much time a provider spent with a patient. The structure made it hard for doctors and clinics to stay afloat while serving Medicaid patients. It also made it harder for women to get consistent care.

With the Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Act, that’s changing. Providers will be paid for each phase of care separately. That means better, more timely reimbursement, encouraging more providers to participate in Medicaid. It also opens the door for more team-based care. Midwives, doulas, community health workers, and doctors can all be compensated for their role in helping moms stay healthy.

2. Doctors will be paid more for delivering babies.
More than half of all births in Arkansas are covered by Medicaid. Yet until now, reimbursement rates for both vaginal and cesarean births were far below the cost of care. Many OB-GYNs, especially in rural or underserved areas, were forced to make a hard choice: limiting the number of Medicaid patients they could take or opting out of the program entirely. Too many moms were left with limited options and longer wait times for care.

Arkansas is now increasing Medicaid reimbursement for vaginal deliveries and c-sections by 70%. That’s an important move to match payment with the real cost of care, making it more viable for doctors and hospitals to participate in Medicaid and serve moms who use it. For pregnant moms, it means shorter drives, shorter wait times, and getting care from the provider they trust.

3. Teachers in Arkansas now have access to paid maternity leave.
I am thrilled that public school employees in Arkansas are now eligible for up to 12 weeks of fully paid maternity leave, fully covered by the state.

This new law acknowledges that mothers should not have to choose between recovering from childbirth and keeping their income. At a time when Arkansas faces a teacher shortage, it ensures educators receive the support they need during one of the most important parts of their lives. It also sends the message that taking care of educators is a priority, and in doing so, we support the families and children they serve.

These aren’t abstract policy changes. They’re real solutions for real problems. They show that our state is getting serious about improving outcomes for moms.

Arkansas has a long way to go to improve maternal health and economic opportunity for moms. But this year’s progress is worth celebrating and makes me hopeful for the future.

Thank you to Gov. Sarah Sanders and our legislators for your leadership on these important issues. Let’s keep working together to make Arkansas the best state to be a mom.

Editor’s note: Olivia Walton is the founder and CEO of Ingeborg Investments and Ingeborg Initiatives, and chairperson of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. The opinions expressed are those of the author.