Washington DC — Today, Congress passed historic legislation to improve the health and well-being of children, mothers, and families nationwide. The bill guarantees 12-month continuous coverage for children on Medicaid and CHIP once they are enrolled and takes important steps to ensure people who qualify for Medicaid stay covered when states are allowed to end pandemic coverage requirements. It also continues giving states the ability to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage for new mothers from 60 days to 12 months. To date, only 37 states and the District of Columbia require this coverage, so this bill makes it even easier for holdout states to do the right thing and take advantage of this option. These steps will especially help families in communities of color and rural areas. In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement:
“Today marks another health care victory for the American people, capping off a remarkable year in making health care more accessible, affordable, and equitable for millions of Americans. Families will be protected from coverage loss at the end of the public health emergency, and this legislation is also a critical step toward reducing maternal mortality and addressing disparities in health care access. Protecting and expanding Medicaid access will help moms and kids live longer and healthier lives, and it will help improve families’ financial security. We owe a debt of gratitude to Democrats in Congress who fought tirelessly to get this deal over the finish line and strengthen health care for years to come.”