Florida will extend Medicaid coverage for new mothers to a full year following childbirth [Miami Herald]
For a decade,
But this week,
Critical for new mothers, infants
The extension is critical for ensuring maternal and infant health because most new mothers with Medicaid in
“When parents are covered, they’re more likely to get their kids to care,” said Yager, who added the Medicaid coverage extension will also help ensure that mothers have a chance to remain healthy in between pregnancies.
“One year of postpartum coverage is not sufficient to ensure that people who are giving birth remain healthy throughout their reproductive years,” she said. “Any obstetrician will tell you we need medical coverage before pregnancy, during pregnancy and after pregnancy.”
Medicaid paid for nearly 50% of all
Coverage to drop off after a year
After a year, however, it won’t be easy for mothers to keep Medicaid coverage in
Once the pregnancy coverage period ends, the same mother cannot earn more than 30% of the federal poverty level, or about
Children whose parents meet the state’s income limits — between
More than 5.2 million Floridians were enrolled in Medicaid as of April and about half of them are children, according to the state’s
Due to the public health emergency, the federal government gave states a slight increase in their Medicaid payments. In return, states agreed not to remove anyone who had gained Medicaid coverage from the rolls, unless they moved out of state.
Millions of Floridians could lose health coverage
Once the public health emergency ends, possibly as soon as October, Florida’s
Though many more Floridians have Medicaid coverage now than before the pandemic, Yager with the
Many Floridians with Medicaid encounter long wait times to see a doctor or received special medical services, and Yager said it will be key to monitor whether there are enough doctors and other healthcare providers to serve the Medicaid population.
“Someone may have Medicaid, but are they able to find a healthcare provider who’s in their network in their area,” she said. “Are there enough mental health providers in a particular region? That’s something we’re going to want to keep our eyes on going forward.”
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