16,000 new moms to benefit from expanded Medicaid coverage starting Wednesday

About 16,000 low-income mothers and their babies will have access to a full year of Medicaid coverage starting Wednesday as the state becomes second-to-last in the nation to offer the extended coverage.

The added coverage, up from 60 days after birth, was approved by state lawmakers earlier this year. As a result, the state Department of Health Services said it is hoping to see a decrease in maternal and infant mortality, and an uptick in new mothers accessing mental health and substance abuse services, the leading causes of death for new moms in their babies' first year of life.

The department is also hoping the increased coverage will reduce cardiac-related deaths, which are especially prevalent among Black mothers.

Over the next year, the department plans to study the rate at which pregnant women and new moms are using the coverage and what they're using the benefits for, including general wellness visits to their primary or OB-GYN doctors or for mental health.

"Continuous coverage during the first year after pregnancy is critical to help moms access care early, manage their health, reduce long-term emotional and financial strain on families, reduce preventable deaths in the months following a pregnancy and prevent gaps in healthcare coverage," DHS Secretary Kirsten Johnson told reporters Tuesday.

The state has reviewed 21 maternal deaths this year, the vast majority of which are considered preventable deaths. With Medicaid expansion, the department aims to reduce mortality by 50%, a benchmark seen in other states that have already increased coverage. Even if it saves just one life, it'll be worth it, said Dr. Jasmine Zapata, State Epidemiologist for Maternal and Child Health and Chronic Diseases.

Despite receiving bipartisan support, the postpartum Medicaid extension bill seemed destined to die again in the Assembly, largely due to the staunch opposition of outgoing Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, who said he opposed expanding welfare programs. But the tide turned last month after hours of private debate among Republicans and a concerted pressure campaign from Democrats.

The bills, along with another that expands health insurance coverage for additional breast cancer screenings, made it to the Assembly floor the same day Vos, who had been holding up both bills, announced his plan to retire from the Assembly after 22 years, 13 as speaker.

The postpartum measure, Senate Bill 23, is one of the few legislative measures supported by both anti-abortion groups and a wide array of Democrats, and is part of a nationwide push for expanded medical care for new mothers that gained ground after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

Medicaid covered 35% of Wisconsin births in 2023, according to the state Department of Health Services. The state saw 63 pregnancy-related deaths from 2020-22. One-third of those deaths occurred more than 60 days after birth, and 76% of those who died had Medicaid at the time of their delivery.

Arkansas is the only remaining state that has not extended Medicaid coverage for poor women.