Despite national efforts to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage for new mothers, Arkansas remains the only state that hasn’t expanded coverage to 12 months. Postpartum Medicaid, funded largely by the federal government, ensures that low-income women receive uninterrupted healthcare for 60 days after giving birth. However, Arkansas interrupts this coverage at 42 days, transitioning women to different programs, which often leads to gaps in care.
An NPR article covered the experience of Maya Gobara, a new mother in Arkansas who falls into the low-income category. She lost her Medicaid coverage about six weeks after an emergency C-section and was transferred to a new health plan without any warning. This significantly disrupted her care and left her without coverage for her own health issues and her twins’ intensive care bills. When questioned about whether Arkansas has plans to expand postpartum Medicaid, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders opposed this measure, believing that adding more coverage would not address the state’s maternal health issues. For context, Arkansas has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the U.S., with around 20-29% of low-income women uninsured during pregnancy.
Health advocates have voiced their concerns, arguing that shifting new mothers between plans exacerbates gaps in care when continuity is vital, especially since many post-pregnancy complications arise after the 60-day cut off. Arkansas has established a maternal health committee tasked with addressing these challenges, but expanding postpartum Medicaid still seems unlikely.
Works Cited
Varney, S. (2024, September 13). Arkansas’ gov says Medicaid extension for new moms isn’t needed. advisers disagree. NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2024/09/13/nx-s1-5110236/arkansas-medicaid-postpartum-12-months-sarah-huckabee-sanders