First Focus on Children submitted the following comment to the Department of Health and Human Services supporting the expansion of postpartum Medicaid coverage.
Excerpt from the comment:
Indiana’s Section 1115 waiver request is a positive step and an improvement over current postpartum coverage in the state. We applaud states that are looking for ways to improve infant and maternal health through their Medicaid programs. However, we encourage the federal government and states both to take bolder and more impactful actions to improve care and reduce disparities in health. Extending Medicaid for twelve months postpartum for all pregnant women would more dramatically help reduce the rates of maternal and infant mortality. According to Indiana’s waiver request, in 2018, 5500 postpartum women in the state lost coverage 60 days after giving birth. This waiver request would allow up to 725, or only 13 percent, of those women to maintain coverage. While an improvement, we believe more women and children should be afforded benefits that we know work to improve their health and reduce racial disparities.
Read the full comment here.