Legislation in Missouri that would extend Medicaid coverage for a year to new mothers has been given final approval.
As part of a nationwide effort to enhance maternal health, Missouri lawmakers on Friday gave final approval to a bill that would provide low-income moms with a full year of Medicaid healthcare coverage.
Medicaid Expansion
Missouri would join a growing list of Republican-led states that have previously balked at Medicaid expansions but are now joining Democratic states in providing 12 months of coverage, instead of the typical 60 days after women give birth if Gov. Mike Parson signs the bill now before the legislature.
A pandemic relief statute passed by President Joe Biden in 2021 allows for coverage to be extended if necessary. Approximately two-thirds of states have adopted policies ensuring at least 12 months of postpartum care, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.
After the Supreme Court’s decision in a Mississippi case last June struck down a constitutional right to abortion, some states with Republican governors moved forward with the expansion.
In March, Republican Governor Tate Reeves of Mississippi signed a bill into law expanding postpartum coverage as part of a new pro-life agenda to help women during a period of limited access to abortion.
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Missouri Senate President Seeks to Expand Pro-Life Policies
Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden began the current legislative session by declaring he hoped to expand the definition of pro-life policy in Missouri, a state where abortion is illegal except in certain circumstances. He specifically mentioned expanding Medicaid coverage for mothers after giving birth as an example.
To prevent coverage for women who have abortions for political reasons, conservative Republicans included language before the bill passed the Senate earlier this year. After hearing concerns that an anti-abortion language could risk approval from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid, this was removed from the final version.
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