Florida Health Justice Project Celebrates the Approval of Florida’s 12 Months of Postpartum Medicaid Coverage by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

(Miami, Florida)—May 25, 2022 – Today, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced their approval of Florida’s extension of postpartum coverage, to allow for a full twelve months of coverage, up from 60 days, for those covered by Medicaid and CHIP for their pregnancies.

Florida Health Justice Project’s Executive Director Alison Yager participated in CMS’s announcement of the approval, alongside CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, as well as administrators from California, Oregon, and Kentucky, whose coverage extensions were also approved.

“As CMS Administrator—and also as a mother—I applaud California, Florida, Kentucky, and Oregon for joining a cadre of states in giving families one of the greatest gifts we can: The peace of mind of health coverage, particularly in the critical post-partum period,” said CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure.

Florida Health Justice Project, a non-profit advocacy organization, led the statewide coalition seeking to extend Medicaid postpartum coverage, with the goals of improving healthcare access and addressing long-standing disparities in outcomes.

“The coverage extension announced today is one of the best tools for improving maternal and infant health, and decreasing disparities in outcomes;” noted Yager. “Providing continuous care for a full twelve months postpartum will annually help over 50,000 women covered by Medicaid and CHIP to access primary care, care for chronic conditions, as well as mental health services during the critical postpartum period. It will also improve access to needed family planning services.”

Florida ranks 49th   in the nation for women’s access to health care.  The March of Dimes gave Florida a D+ in its 2020 Report Card for maternal and infant health indicators.

By extending Medicaid, new mothers will have access to affordable health care to treat chronic conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, substance use disorders and depression.

Florida Health Justice Project eagerly awaits the implementation of this newly approved policy, and is developing tools to educate the public about this change. Said Yager, “It is our goal that this extension is well known, well understood, and well utilized.”

Florida Health Justice Project (FHJP) recognizes that access to quality and affordable health care is a human right and engages in comprehensive advocacy to expand healthcare access and promote health equity for Florida’s most vulnerable and marginalized residents. www.floridahealthjustice.org