Tennessee bill could set precedent in protecting pregnant workers’ health coverage

If you lose your job while pregnant, should you also lose your health insurance? A new Tennessee bill says no—and it’s about time.

A bill introduced by State Senator London Lamar (D-Memphis) aims to protect health coverage for pregnant workers who are enrolled in an employer’s health plan, ensuring they remain covered until they give birth—even if they’re fired. The move is a direct response to Tennessee’s near-total abortion ban, which forces women to carry pregnancies to term while offering little in the way of protections for those who need financial and medical security during that time.

If passed, Tennessee would be the first state in the country to implement this type of protection. And it raises the question: Why isn’t this already a national standard?

Related: Flowers are great, but here’s what moms really want for Mother’s Day

Pregnant and fired—now what?

Losing your job while pregnant is a nightmare scenario, and for many American workers, it also means losing the only affordable access to prenatal care. While federal law prohibits firing someone because they’re pregnant, loopholes in workplace protections mean that discrimination still happens—and many pregnant workers find themselves out of a job at the worst possible time.

Sen. Lamar puts it bluntly: “The baby should not suffer because you don’t want to continue to employ a person who’s pregnant.”

And yet, under current laws, that’s exactly what happens. Health insurance is often tied to employment, which means that if an employer decides to cut payroll, a pregnant worker could lose coverage right when they need it most.

Related: Know your rights: 6 facts about the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and PUMP Act

A bigger conversation about pregnancy protections

This bill points to a broader crisis of pregnancy protections in America. Here’s the reality:

• Job insecurity for pregnant workers: Even with legal protections like the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, many women report being pushed out of their jobs for requesting basic accommodations, like extra bathroom breaks or the ability to sit during a shift.
• A growing maternal health crisis: The U.S. has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among developed nations, and a major contributor is lack of consistent prenatal care, which can be disrupted when a woman loses her insurance.
• No national paid maternity leave: The U.S. remains one of the only wealthy nations that doesn’t guarantee any paid maternity leave, leaving parents scrambling to recover from childbirth while worrying about their paychecks.

The fact that Tennessee, one of the most restrictive states on abortion rights, is taking a step toward protecting pregnant workers’ healthcare signals that even conservative states recognize the deep flaws in the system. But a state-by-state approach isn’t enough—pregnant workers everywhere need guaranteed protections.

Related: Expectant mother asked to prepay for her baby

Could this set a national precedent?

If this bill passes, Tennessee would be the first state to mandate continued employer-sponsored health insurance for pregnant workers post-termination. But let’s be real—this shouldn’t be a groundbreaking idea. Protecting health coverage for pregnant workers should already be the norm, not something left up to individual states.

What we actually need:

• National protections: No pregnant worker should be left uninsured. This should be a federal standard, not a patchwork of state laws.
• Affordable, accessible healthcare: Pregnancy shouldn’t be a financial risk. Universal access to affordable prenatal and postpartum care is essential.
• A cultural shift: Pregnancy is not a personal burden—it’s a societal responsibility. We need policies that actually support parents, not just force them into parenthood.

America’s approach to pregnancy is broken. We tell women they must carry pregnancies to term, but we don’t guarantee them paid leave, we make childcare unaffordable, and we tie their health coverage to their employment status. These gaps in support leave many families struggling at a time when they need stability the most.

Tennessee’s bill is a step in the right direction. Now, it’s time for policymakers across the country to step up and make sure that no pregnant worker—anywhere—has to face losing their health insurance at the most vulnerable time of their life.