The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) made important recommendations to Congress on policies that will have a positive impact on maternal health for all states, and policies that are supported by many advocates in Pennsylvania. The first major recommendation is to guarantee 12-month postpartum health care coverage for pregnant women in Medicaid. Research has shown how critical it is for maternal health to ensure moms have access to health care for at least 12 months after birth. Additionally, MACPAC recommends aligning the extended coverage policy for pregnant women with expanded coverage for pregnant women in the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in states. Finally, the Commission recommends that Congress provide a 100% federal matching rate (FMAP) for the extended postpartum coverage in Medicaid.
MACPAC’s recommendations to Congress on these maternal health policies are supported by many advocates across the country, and many states submitted comments to the Commission for its consideration, including Pennsylvania’s prenatal-to-age-three collaborative. Additionally, the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families wrote a blog about the recommendations.
Although these are only recommendations, it is a huge win for maternal health advocates and pregnant women across the country! We are hopeful Congress will take these recommendations seriously and act on improving policies to ensure greater maternal health.
Pennsylvania’s prenatal-to-age-three collaborative is advocating for important policies that increase access to coverage and services for pregnant women and women.