Kamala Harris’ Senate Legacy: Maternal Health and Beyond

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at an event with descendants of legendary civil rights leaders in celebration of Black History Month at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on February 13. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

July 25, 2024 Story by: Editor

As the anticipated Democratic presidential nominee, Kamala Harris has been a vocal advocate for abortion rights and maternal health during her tenure in Washington. Her record in the Senate, however, reflects a broader range of health policy interests, spanning from telehealth advancements to consumer protection in the healthcare sector.

"I've dedicated my career to defending consumers and reducing medical expenses for families," Harris stated in a recent call with reporters, highlighting her efforts to safeguard the 2010 healthcare law and prevent mergers in the healthcare industry as key achievements.

Harris, who served as California’s attorney general before representing the state in the Senate from 2017 to 2021, is expected to carry forward the Biden administration’s health agenda into her presidential campaign. Larry Levitt, executive vice president for health policy at KFF, remarked, "I would anticipate Harris continuing much of Biden’s health agenda, but with increased focus on abortion rights and issues she's championed, such as medical debt."

During her time in the Senate, Harris prioritized mental health, telemedicine, and drug pricing, areas where she sought substantial legislative impact.

One of Harris' notable early stances was on telehealth , even before the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted its importance. She introduced legislation aimed at facilitating Medicare recipients' access to mental health services via telehealth and proposed student loan relief for mental health professionals. Although these bills did not advance, Congress has since removed restrictions on telehealth coverage through the end of 2024 , with potential for permanent adoption.

Harris also led efforts to address racism in healthcare and reduce racial disparities in COVID-19 outcomes. She introduced legislation during the pandemic to increase bias training for healthcare providers and to ensure race and ethnicity data was collected and analyzed in relation to COVID-19 impacts.

Her Senate work was heavily centered on maternal health, particularly the crisis of Black maternal mortality. Black women face pregnancy-related death rates two to three times higher than white women, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Harris co-sponsored the "momnibus" bill, a comprehensive package of 13 bills designed to improve maternal health, with a special focus on Black women. Although parts of this package were incorporated into President Joe Biden’s 2021 domestic policy bill, the full "momnibus" provisions were not included in the final legislation.

As vice president, Harris launched a nationwide Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis in 2022 , playing a pivotal role in expanding Medicaid postpartum coverage from two to 12 months, establishing "birthing friendly" hospital designations , and introducing a maternal mental health hotline ( 1-833-TLC-MAMA ).

During her 2020 presidential run, Harris initially co-sponsored Senator Bernie Sanders’ "Medicare for All" bill before proposing her own version that retained private insurance options. This shift drew criticism from progressive voters.

Health Care Costs and Consumer Protection

In her role as a prosecutor, Harris was known for enforcing consumer protection laws, often taking on healthcare providers and companies whose practices she believed undermined consumer rights. Jill Habig, who managed Harris' health portfolio as California’s attorney general, noted, "She’s been committed to making the healthcare system work effectively for people, both in theory and in practice."

As California’s attorney general from 2011 to 2017, Harris investigated healthcare market concentration, setting the stage for her successor, Xavier Becerra, to challenge anticompetitive practices by Sutter Health , one of California’s largest hospital systems. Harris also played a role in a lawsuit to block the merger of health insurance giants Anthem and Cigna and scrutinized drug companies’ practices to extend their market exclusivity.

Should Harris ascend to the presidency, she would inherit a healthcare landscape marked by increased consolidation and ongoing drug pricing issues. The Biden administration has already begun addressing these concerns, with the Federal Trade Commission investigating pharmacy benefit managers and healthcare industry consolidation . According to Habig, a Harris administration might take an even stronger stance: "As a career prosecutor, she’s likely to emphasize accountability, ensuring that companies adhere to commitments so that consumers receive the expected benefits from insurance providers, healthcare services, and drug companies."

Medical Debt

Under the Biden administration, medical debt has become a focal issue, with about 15 million Americans holding $49 billion in medical debt collections, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s April data . Harris has taken up this cause, announcing in June a proposed rule that would prevent credit reporting agencies from including medical debt on credit reports sent to lenders. The goal is to ensure that medical debt does not affect credit eligibility decisions.

"We are ensuring that medical debt cannot be used against you when applying for a car loan, home loan, small business loan, or similar financial needs," Harris stated in a call with reporters.

Abortion Rights

Abortion rights stand at the forefront of Harris’ vice presidential portfolio and are viewed by Democrats as a key electoral issue. Unlike President Biden, who, as a practicing Catholic, supports reproductive rights but is less vocal about abortion, Harris has taken a more proactive stance. She was the first vice president to visit a Planned Parenthood clinic and has consistently traveled the country advocating for reproductive rights.

Harris has also proposed more extensive protections for abortion rights than Biden, suggesting measures that would exceed the protections under Roe v. Wade by restricting state-imposed limitations on abortion access. In 2019, while still in the Senate, she introduced a proposal requiring states with a history of limiting abortion access to obtain clearance from the Department of Justice.

Her firm stance on abortion has already drawn sharp criticism from anti-abortion groups like SBA Pro-Life America , which has labeled her an "abortion czar." "While Joe Biden hesitates to mention abortion, Kamala Harris boldly champions it," said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of SBA Pro-Life America .

Conversely, abortion rights organizations have been quick to endorse Harris. Groups like Reproductive Freedom for All and EMILY’s List , which supports pro-choice candidates, have formally backed her candidacy.

In a recent campaign stop in Indianapolis, Harris made her position clear: "We are not playing around," she told the audience, vowing to sign any legislation passed by Congress to restore federal abortion protections. Source: NBC News already drawn sharp criticism from anti-abortion groups like SBA Pro-Life America, which has labeled her an "abortion czar." "While Joe Biden hesitates to mention abortion, Kamala Harris boldly champions it," said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of SBA Pro-Life America.

Conversely, abortion rights organizations have been quick to endorse Harris. Groups like Reproductive Freedom for All and EMILY’s List, which supports pro-choice candidates, have formally backed her candidacy.

In a recent campaign stop in Indianapolis, Harris made her position clear: "We are not playing around," she told the audience, vowing to sign any legislation passed by Congress to restore federal abortion protections. Source: NBC News