The Effects of the Medicaid Continuous Coverage Requirement during the Public Health Emergency on Postpartum Coverage and Maternal and Infant Care after Childbirth

Despite high postpartum healthcare needs and high rates of postpartum maternal mortality, traditional pregnancy- related Medicaid coverage ends after 60 days postpartum. Medicaid pays for almost half of all births in the US and disproportionately covers births to the low-income population and people of color. There has recently been increased interest in postpartum Medicaid, including an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) option to extend Medicaid one-year postpartum. Prior to this, the March 2020 Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) prevented Medicaid disenrollment during the pandemic, thereby extending postpartum Medicaid eligibility. Drawing on Medicaid expertise at the Center for State Health Policy, results from extended postpartum Medicaid eligibility during the FFCRA can inform current postpartum Medicaid policies, including those being implemented under ARPA. Using the Rhode Island All Payer Claims Database, analyses focus on maternal and child coverage and care use changes during the FFCRA, differences by race and ethnicity, and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic context.