What happens to your health insurance if you lose your job while pregnant? A new bill proposed in Tennessee suggests it shouldn’t be lost—and this is a much-needed change.
State Senator London Lamar (D-Memphis) has introduced a bill designed to safeguard health coverage for pregnant employees enrolled in their employer’s health plan. This legislation ensures that they remain covered until the birth of their child, even if they face termination. The bill serves as a direct response to Tennessee’s strict abortion regulations, which compel women to carry pregnancies to full term while providing little support for their financial and medical needs during this critical time.
If successfully passed, Tennessee would become the first state in the nation to enact such protections. This raises an important question: Why isn’t this already a nationwide requirement?
Facing Job Loss During Pregnancy: What’s Next?
Losing employment while expecting can be a terrifying ordeal, often leading to a loss of access to affordable prenatal care. Although federal law prohibits discrimination based on pregnancy status, loopholes in workplace protections remain, allowing such discrimination to persist. Many pregnant women find themselves unemployed at the most precarious moments of their lives.
Senator Lamar succinctly expresses the sentiment: “The baby should not suffer because you don’t want to continue to employ a person who’s pregnant.”
This is precisely what is happening under current laws. As health insurance is typically linked to employment, a reduction in workforce can mean that a pregnant employee loses vital coverage just when it’s most critical.
Broader Conversations on Protecting Pregnancy Rights
This new Tennessee bill highlights a larger conversation regarding the protections available to pregnant women in America. The reality is stark:
- Job insecurity for pregnant workers: Even with existing laws like the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, many expectant mothers report being forced out of their positions for simply seeking basic accommodations, such as additional bathroom breaks or sitting during work shifts.
- A maternal health crisis: The U.S. has alarmingly high maternal mortality rates compared to other developed countries, largely due to inconsistent access to prenatal care—a situation exacerbated when insurance is lost.
- Lack of national paid maternity leave: The U.S. remains one of the few wealthy nations without guaranteed paid maternity leave, leaving new parents to grapple with recovering from childbirth while worrying about their financial stability.
It is significant that Tennessee—a state known for its restrictive abortion policies—is moving toward safeguarding healthcare for pregnant workers. However, a better solution needs to encompass nationwide guarantees, ensuring that every pregnant worker receives adequate protections no matter where they reside.
Setting a Potential National Precedent
If this bill is enacted, Tennessee would pioneer a mandate requiring ongoing employer-sponsored health insurance for pregnant employees even after termination. However, this should not be viewed as a radical concept; it’s an essential standard that should already be in place across the country.
What is truly required includes:
- National protections: No expectant mother should find herself uninsured; this must be a federal issue rather than a series of state-specific regulations.
- Affordability and accessibility of healthcare: Financial risk should not accompany pregnancy; universal access to both prenatal and postpartum care is vital.
- A cultural shift: Pregnancy is not solely a personal issue; it is a communal obligation. Policies must support parents rather than merely imposing the expectation of parenthood.
The approach the U.S. takes towards pregnancy is critically flawed. Women face pressure to carry pregnancies to full term, yet we offer no guarantees for paid leave, create hurdles in accessing childcare, and tie health coverage to employment status. These deficiencies place many families in precarious positions when they need support the most.
The Tennessee bill represents progress, signaling that change is possible even in conservative areas. Now, it is imperative for leaders across the nation to ensure that no pregnant worker faces the anxiety of losing health insurance at one of the most vulnerable points in her life.
