The Facilities for Medicare and Medicaid Providers (CMS) on Wednesday permitted Texas’ plan to increase postpartum Medicaid protection from two months to 12 months.
The Texas Well being and Human Providers Fee submitted the plan to CMS in October. The expanded protection goes into impact March 1.
New dad and mom who misplaced their Medicaid earlier than that date however are nonetheless inside a 12 months of giving beginning can re-enroll.
Governor Greg Abbott signed Home Invoice 12 into regulation final 12 months. The invoice, authored by Rep. Toni Rose, is designed to assist new dad and mom take care of their well being points earlier than they change into a disaster.
“I really feel like that is considered one of my most satisfying items of laws, as a result of it saves lives,” Rose informed KERA in June.
Persistent illnesses akin to diabetes and hypertension, together with bleeding and psychological well being issues, account for most of the pregnancy-related deaths in Texas, in keeping with a report from the Texas Maternal Morbidity and Morbidity Assessment Committee.
Advocates, beginning employees and researchers have stated this expanded protection will cut back maternal mortality and morbidity charges within the state.
Do you may have recommendation? Electronic mail Elena Rivera at erivera@kera.org
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