SCPA Public Affairs Update

The March of Dimes Public Affairs agenda focuses on public policies and programs that relate to the Foundation's mission -- improving the health of infants and children by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. This focus is separated into three areas of programmatic work:

 Access to health care for women of childbearing age, infants and children;

 Research to prevent prematurity, birth defects and infant mortality; and

 Prevention and treatment to improve maternal, infant and child health.

From these focus areas, the South Carolina Chapter has chosen two priorities for 2010:

 Access to health care by coordinating a public education campaign to ensure that eligible pregnant women are enrolled in the state’s Medicaid program so that they may receive appropriate prenatal care.

 Support of the cigarette tax to fund Medicaid to ensure that pregnant women and children have continued access to health care so that there will be better outcomes thus reducing the incidences of prematurity, birth defects and infant mortality.

When compared to other states, South Carolina has limited options to educate pregnant women about Medicaid services. The enrollment process can be complicated and information is sometimes not clear.

To address these challenges, MOD, SC Chapter will coordinate efforts with other statewide advocacy groups to prepare and distribute an easy to understand informational brochure to assist pregnant women with the enrollment process. MOD, SC Chapter will also assist in training volunteers around the state to assist applicants.

South Carolina has the lowest cigarette tax in the nation. Increasing the cigarette tax to fund Medicaid will provide a much needed influx of funds into our state’s Medicaid system and will help stabilize the program. In other states, increasing cigarette taxes has proven to reduce smoking levels and increase state revenues. Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of disease and death in South Carolina. Nearly 23% of the state population smokes cigarettes. Smoking costs the state Medicaid program $393 million per year. Annual health care costs in South Carolina directly caused by smoking total $1.09 billion.

by Breana Lipscomb