Mothers Could Stay on Medicaid Longer After Giving Birth Under New Bill in the State Legislature

Friday, March 31st, 2023 -- 11:00 AM

(AP) Low-income Wisconsin mothers could stay on Medicaid longer after giving birth and with less paperwork under a bill that has gained bipartisan support in the Republican-controlled Legislature.

Nearly half of the state’s lawmakers have co-sponsored the bill that came before the Senate insurance committee for a hearing on Wednesday. Currently, Wisconsinites can enroll in the state-supported and federally-funded healthcare program if they are pregnant and qualify as low-income, but have to recertify for the program 60 days after giving birth.

Under the proposal, they could keep coverage for a year, even if their household income increases. Democrats have long supported Medicare expansion in Wisconsin and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers is likely to support the measure, which is similar to Medicaid expansion in his budget proposal last month.

In areas of disagreement with Republican lawmakers, Evers has issued a record number of vetoes. A similar bill failed to pass the Wisconsin Legislature in 2021, and Republicans rejected Evers’ request in the last budget cycle to establish one year of postpartum Medicaid benefits, opting instead to extend them to 90 days. The state Department of Health Services is still waiting on federal approval for that extension.

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