Governor Reeves signs bill extending postpartum Medicaid coverage

MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – New moms in Mississippi will now be eligible for a full 12 months of postpartum Medicaid coverage.

Calling it part of his “new pro-life agenda”, Governor Tate Reeves signed off on Senate Bill 2212.

Mississippi usually allowed two months of Medicaid coverage for women after the birth of a child.

During the pandemic, a public health emergency was declared, and that was expanded to a full year, but many patients have said that they were not made aware of the extension.

That health emergency is set to expire in May.

The extension of benefits had bi-partisan support, but early on, Reeves had been critical of the plan. He has been against any expansion of the Medicaid program, and there was concern about the $7 million price tag.

He endorsed the idea in late February.

Medicaid pays for about 60% of births in Mississippi.

The law takes effect on July 1.

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