Missouri state Sen. Elaine Gannon speaks to reporters Friday, May 5, 2023, at her Capitol office in Jefferson City, Mo. In front of her are notes about a bill passed by the Legislature that would extend Medicaid coverage for lower-income mothers for a full year after they give birth. JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.
that have previously balked at Medicaid expansions but which are now joining Democratic states in providing 12 months of coverage — instead of the typical 60 days — after women give birth. “If we want healthy babies, we have to have healthy mammas — and that is so important,” said Republican state Sen. Elaine Gannon, one of the sponsors of the Missouri legislation.
The option for longer Medicaid coverage was made possible under a pandemic relief law signed by President Joe Biden in 2021. About two-thirds of states already have implemented 12 months of postpartum care, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Some Republican-led states didn't act upon the Medicaid expansion until after the U.S. Supreme Court used a Mississippi case last June to