Gov. Tony Evers signed legislation March 18 extending Medicaid coverage for new mothers from 60 days to 12 months postpartum, according to 2025 Wisconsin Act 102. The policy takes effect July 1 and aims to address gaps in healthcare that leave serious conditions untreated, according to The Cap Times.
Wisconsin is one of the last states to extend coverage, with only Arkansas behind it, according to The Cap Times.
The change targets a critical window known as the “fourth trimester,” when health needs often persist beyond the 60-day coverage limit, according to La Follette School of Public Affairs Professor Christine Durrance in an email statement. Postpartum Medicaid coverage previously ended shortly after the standard six-week post-delivery visit, according to Durrance’s statement.
Extending coverage to 12 months is expected to improve continuity and quality of care during this period by allowing for ongoing treatment of chronic conditions, mental health needs, delivery complications and family planning, Durrance said in the statement. Many of these conditions develop well beyond the initial 60-day window, creating a gap in care when patients may need support most.
Research also points to measurable benefits from extended coverage, Population Health Sciences PWisconsin extends postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 month professor Barbara Wolfe said in an email statement.
“Findings suggest a decrease in hospitalizations among women in states that expanded coverage — nearly 10% for the period after 60 days up to six months,” Wolfe said in the statement.
The study, which analyzed data from 2010 to 2017, compared four states that expanded postpartum Medicaid coverage with four that did not. While the estimates are imprecise, they suggest improved continuity of care, Wolfe said in the statement.
Under the previous 60-day limit, many patients lost access to follow-up care, mental health services and treatment for chronic illness, according to Richelle Andrae, a lobbyist with the Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association.
“We hear a lot about postpartum depression and hypertension,” Andrae said. “A lot of chronic conditions are exacerbated during pregnancy and postpartum.”
In addition to medical conditions, many new mothers endure logistical challenges after birth, which make it difficult to switch insurance or find new providers once coverage ends, Andrae said.
Community health centers, which operate in every Wisconsin county and serve patients regardless of ability to pay, provide care for many of these individuals, according to Andrae. They supported about 1,700 deliveries in the past year, many of which were covered by Medicaid, Andrae said.
Without extended coverage, patients may struggle to attend routine follow-up visits or access counseling, medications and specialty referrals, Andrae said. About one in seven postpartum women experience prenatal mood and anxiety disorders, many of which extend beyond the 60-day coverage window, according to a WPHCA testimony.
Moreover, postpartum health should be understood in the context of the family unit rather than in isolation, according to Andrae.
“The health of a mother and her [child] are so closely connected — these are inextricably connected components,” Andrae said. “[Extended coverage] is an important step in thinking about the family unit more holistically, which is long overdue.”
