As part of a comprehensive plan to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity in the U.S., the White House is urging all states to provide postpartum coverage for one year through their Medicaid programs.
The plan, released by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris' administration Dec. 7, is a "nationwide call to action to both the public and private sectors to help improve health outcomes for parents and infants," according to a White House statement.
The administration is encouraging all states to expand postpartum coverage from 60 days to 12 months as part of the effort, and CMS will release new guidance to support states in doing so in April 2022. The statement also highlighted a new HHS report that estimated about 720,000 more people would get a full year of postpartum coverage if all states adopted the expansion.
As part of the nationwide effort to improve maternal health outcomes and reduce pregnancy and childbirth complications, CMS is also planning to create a "Birthing-Friendly" hospital designation, which would mark the first-ever HHS quality designation dedicated to maternity care. Hospitals participating in a federal collaborative program to improve maternal outcomes would receive the designation.
Additionally, the White House said it will invest $3 billion in maternal health as part of the proposed Build Back Better Act.
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