Ohioans now able to receive extended Medicaid coverage after childbirth

Ohio mothers who rely on Medicaid will now be eligible for up to a year of health coverage after the birth of a child, up from 60 days previously.

Up to 21,000 low-income and disabled people annually will benefit from this change, said the Ohio Department of Medicaid, which announced the change before April but only received final approval from the federal government on Tuesday.

“We know that access to postpartum care not only saves lives but leads to better health outcomes for moms and their babies,” said Maureen Corcoran, director of Ohio Medicaid, in a statement. “Extending eligibility for a full year postpartum ensures women have access to critical services that impact maternal morbidity and mortality as well as the health of their baby.”

Available coverage includes: treatment for postpartum depression; medical care for chronic conditions such as hypertension or diabetes; breastfeeding resources; and nurse home visits

The change was initiated by state lawmakers in the previous state budget. Ohio suffers from one of the highest rates of infant mortality in the nation, at 6.9 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2019.

The extended coverage, for now, will be available for a five-year period through April 2027.

Titus Wu is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.