(The following comes courtesy of MissouriNet, via Matthew Pilger.)
Gov. Mike Kehoe has signed a wide-ranging healthcare bill that expands access to doula services for pregnant women and requires Missouri to begin tracking cases of Alpha-Gal Syndrome, a tick-borne syndrome that causes allergies to mammal products.
The new law increases Medicaid-covered doula visits for low-income mothers and adds free childbirth education classes for women enrolled in Missouri’s Show-Me Healthy Babies program.
Sen. Patty Lewis, D-Kansas City, a registered nurse, said doulas can help women navigate the healthcare system and provide support during pregnancy and childbirth.
“Some communities have a distrust in the healthcare system,” Lewis said. “Doulas offer kind of that middle person to help navigate complex healthcare scenarios” and provide comfort measures during labor.
Lewis said Missouri continues to face challenges with maternal and infant health outcomes, particularly in areas with limited access to healthcare services.
The legislation also addresses Alpha-Gal Syndrome, a condition often associated with lone star tick bites that can cause serious allergic reactions to red meat and other mammal-derived products.
Rep. Matthew Overcast, R-southern Missouri, said the law requires laboratories to report confirmed cases of Alpha-Gal Syndrome to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. The department will then provide an annual de-identified report to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Overcast said the reporting requirement will give federal lawmakers better data as they seek funding and resources to address the illness.
State health records show more than 34,000 cases of Alpha-Gal Syndrome have been reported in Missouri since 2021.
Overcast said the condition has created challenges for some farm families, particularly those whose livelihoods depend on working with livestock.
The new law took effect after Kehoe signed it Monday.
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