A bill for an act relating to eligibility for pregnant women and infants under the Medicaid program, and including effective date provisions.(See HF 2583.)
At the start of 2024 Iowa was one of only three states yet to take action on implementing 12 months postpartum Medicaid coverage. The bill is an important step and I hope it can be improved by not reducing the Federal Poverty Level eligibility which will kick some people off that need prenatal and postpartum care. Iowa is one of only four states with a statistically significant rise in infant mortality and 30% of the state is considered a maternal health desert. We must implement 12 months postpartum Medicaid coverage while maintaining eligibility to ensure we are improving access to care for not just some but all that need it. According to the 2021 Iowa Maternal Mortality Review Committee Report, 54 percent of Iowas pregnancyassociated deaths occurred within 43 days to one year after birth. Suicide and overdose are the leading causes of death in the first year postpartum, with the 36 month time frame as the most critical for mental health issues developing, and 69 months the time frame when most pregnancy related suicides occur per the Maternal Mental Health Alliance.
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