JOINT STATEMENT FROM THE NATIONAL BLACK NURSES ASSOCIATION AND THE NATIONAL COALITION FOR INFANT HEALTH ON AMENDING SB 500

Groups Call for Medicaid Coverage for Exclusive Human Milk Diet to Support Fragile Infants

HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the National Black Nurses Association and the National Coalition for Infant Health issued a joint statement formally requesting that the Pennsylvania State Legislature amend SB 500 to include Medicaid coverage for an exclusive human milk diet:

"Together as a community, our organizations are once again calling on the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and members of the Legislature to stand up for fragile infants by amending SB 500.  This bill represents an unprecedented opportunity for lawmakers to ensure that Medicaid covers an exclusive human milk diet for very low birth weight babies who often spend their first days of life in a NICU. For parents and medical professionals that have spent time inside the NICU with loved ones and patients, they deserve to know preemie babies in every zip code across Pennsylvania are getting access to an exclusive human milk diet, which is clinically proven to reduce the risks of devastating diseases and illnesses for these babies. This is not only a health issue, but also an equity issue as the African American community suffers from higher rates of prematurity and higher infant mortality. Please do the right thing and amend SB 500 to save more lives and keep our most vulnerable population supported with proper nutrition."

Recently, both organizations separately wrote letters to the Legislature urging for an amendment to SB 500, citing clinical evidence proving that an exclusive human milk diet leads to better health outcomes and shorter hospital visits for premature infants.

Click here to read the National Black Nurses Association Letter.

Click here to read the National Coalition for Infant Health Letter.

About the National Black Nurses Association: The National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) serves as the professional voice for over 450,000 African American registered nurses, licensed vocational/practical nurses, nursing students and retired nurses from the USA, Eastern Caribbean and Africa. Through our 112 chapters in 34 states and the District of Columbia, we provide countless hours of community-based health care services. The NBNA was organized in 1971 under the leadership of Dr. Lauranne Sams, former Dean and Professor of Nursing, School of Nursing, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Alabama. Visit https://www.nbna.org/ to learn more.

About the National Coalition for Infant Health: The National Coalition for Infant Health (NCfIH) is a collaborative of professional, clinical, community health, and family support organizations that uses education and advocacy to promote patient-centered care for premature infants and their families. NCfIH envisions safe, healthy infants whose families can access the information, care and treatment their babies need. Visit https://www.infanthealth.org/ to learn more.

Contacts: 
Dr. Vivienne McDaniel
[email protected]

Susan Hepworth
[email protected]

SOURCE National Coalition for Infant Health