In March 2019, West Virginia lawmakers passed Senate Bill 564 to raise the Medicaid eligibility for pregnant women to 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) while guaranteeing coverage for 60-days postpartum. By aligning West Virginia with current state trends and closing a health insurance gap, this policy will provide coverage for hundreds of pregnant women starting July 1, 2019. Download a PDF of this report.
Research shows a multitude of health and financial benefits to providing health care to pregnant and postpartum women. It can address the issues of low birthweight, infant and maternal death, postpartum depression, opioid addiction, health problems for mothers, as well as those of their children. Extending Medicaid coverage beyond 60-days postpartum could have lasting short- and long-term benefits for those women, their children and families, and the state of West Virginia.
While SB 564 will help ensure healthier pregnancies, extending coverage to a least one-year postpartum would further improve the physical, mental, and financial health of West Virginia’s women, children, and their families.
