Health

Survey finds Medicaid patients report more barriers during pregnancy

National report found American Indian and Alaska Native respondents were most likely to cite a lack of respect for their culture

Trust Mark

A nationwide survey of more than 3,800 people who gave birth in 2023 and 2024 found that Medicaid patients reported worse outcomes and greater barriers to care than those with private insurance, according to reporting from Stateline. On the Listening to Mothers survey by the National Partnership for Women and Families, 25% of respondents said they were unable to receive prenatal care as early as they wanted, often because appointments were unavailable, providers delayed scheduling or they struggled to find clinics accepting Medicaid.

The survey also found that 43% of respondents said they received worse care because they felt their knowledge and experiences were not valued, while 40% said they felt unheard by providers. About 6% said discrimination contributed to those experiences, with race cited most often. According to the Stateline reporting, American Indian and Alaska Native respondents to the survey were the most likely to report a lack of respect for their culture.

References

  1. 1.Stateline.

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