More States Extend Medicaid Postpartum Coverage to a Full Year

CMS and the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that three states plus Washington, DC have received approvals for plans to extend Medicaid postpartum coverage for a full year due to the American Rescue Plan.

“Postpartum coverage not only improves health outcomes, but also saves lives,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, new parents will now have access to the ongoing care they need during the most crucial time after giving birth. I applaud Maine, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Washington, D.C, for taking action to join the Administration’s efforts to strengthen maternal health and support safe healthy families.”

In total, 15,000 people will receive access to a year of postpartum coverage through Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). 

Minnesota is the state with the biggest population of beneficiaries who will be affected by these changes (7,000 individuals). In New Mexico, around 5,000 people will gain access to coverage. Maine will see 2,000 Americans gain access to a year of postpartum coverage and in Washington, DC another 1,000 beneficiaries will gain access.

“As CMS Administrator and a mother, it’s a privilege to work with states to extend postpartum coverage across the country—most recently in Maine, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Washington, D.C,” added CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure.

With these approvals, CMS and HHS have released data indicating that almost 253,000 Americans have received a full year of postpartum care coverage.

The three states and Washington DC will join eleven other states in expanding the timeframe for postpartum Medicaid and CHIP coverage to a year. 

This includes California, Florida, Kentucky, and Oregon, which HHS and CMS lauded for pursuing extensions in May 2022. It also includes the state of Illinois, which extended coverage under the American Rescue Plan Act in an effort to advance health equity and improve rural healthcare.

California is the state with the highest number of parents who gained coverage from the expansion, with 57,000 Americans gaining a year of postpartum Medicaid coverage. Florida followed with 52,000 beneficiaries receiving coverage and Tennessee came in third with 22,000 beneficiaries receiving coverage.

Federal healthcare leaders anticipated that more states would join the ranks of those with year-long Medicaid or CHIP postpartum coverage. Nine other states have proposals pending.

Total adoption of this comprehensive coverage could mean that up to 720,000 Americans would have access to postpartum coverage for the full 12 months after pregnancy. 

The postpartum period is a critical timeframe in pregnancy, the agency noted, as birthing parents are still at risk of dying in this period.

“The American Rescue Plan gives states an easier pathway to extend postpartum coverage—and gives parents and families the peace of mind of having health coverage during the vital first year after pregnancy,” Administrator Brooks-LaSure said in the press release.

Studies have indicated that effective postpartum coverage in the year following pregnancy requires more than the common postpartum checkup. 

Mothers may have ongoing conditions that require attention. Additionally, many uninsured mothers communicated concerns about healthcare costs, which posed a barrier to accessing care. Extending postpartum coverage can help answer both clinical and financial needs.