The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Nov. 14 announced that 40 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands now have extended Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage from 60 days to 12 months after birth.
Missouri is the 40th state CMS approved for expansion, extending coverage through the state plan authority established by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) in 2021. Prior to the state plan amendment option ARPA provided, states previously expanded coverage through Section 1115 waivers.
Due to this expansion, up to 18,000 additional people in Missouri will be eligible for Medicaid for a full year after pregnancy. If all states adopted this option, as many as 720,000 people across the United States would be guaranteed Medicaid and CHIP coverage for 12 months after pregnancy. CMS continues to work with other states to expand Medicaid postpartum coverage.
Contact Director of Policy Rob Nelb, MPH, at rnelb@essentialhospitals.org or 202.585.0127 with questions.
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