Bill extending length of postpartum care Medicaid care signed by Reynolds

By Kim Jarrett / May 8, 2024

(The Center Square) - Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill Wednesday that extends the length of time a mother can receive postpartum care on Medicaid.

Federal law allows 60 days. Senate File 2251 extends the length of care to twelve months. Eligibility requirements for mothers will change from 375% of the federal poverty level to 215%.

This will lead to the disenrollment of some mothers and infants, according to the fiscal analysis by the Legislative Services Agency. An estimated 1,400 mothers and 400 infants could be affected.

"The earliest date a pregnant woman will be disenrolled is December 2025, while the latest date will be September 2026," the analysis said. "Infant disenrollment will begin in January 2025 for infants that enrolled in Medicaid or saw renewed eligibility in January 2024, while disenrollment will not occur until December 2025 for infants that enrolled in Medicaid or saw renewed eligibility in December 2024."

Sen. Janet Petersen, D-Des Moines, proposed an amendment that would have kept at 375%.

"We should not be contracting care, we should be expanding it," Peterson said.

The amendment failed.

The bill will increase state costs by $1.1 million in fiscal year 2025 due to an increase in IT costs to make the change, according to the fiscal analysis. The extended program will result in additional costs of $3.3 million in fiscal year 2026. The additional costs will decrease to $388,000 in fiscal year 2027 and $286,000 beginning in 2028, according to the analysis.

“Being pro-life means supporting mothers and strong families," Reynolds said. "By extending post-partum Medicaid coverage for thousands of new moms, we will set new families on a path to prosperity and opportunity."