Some states offering Medicaid extensions for new moms

UNDATED (AP)- States around the country are making it easier for newborn moms to keep Medicaid in the year after childbirth, a crucial time when depression and other health problems can develop. But tight government budgets and low reimbursement may ultimately limit this push and make it hard for patients who get expanded coverage to find doctors willing to take it. Since the spring (2022), 23 states and Washington, D.C., have said they will extend the government-funded coverage for 12 months after babies arrive. That’s up from a requirement to keep it for only 60 days, after which many women lose coverage.