During the 2022 Hawaii state legislative session we supported legislation that would extend postpartum Medicaid coverage to a full year (it had been just 6 weeks) and we are excited to share that Governor Ige signed the budget appropriation and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved the extension. The extension goes into effect this month!
You may wonder why the American Heart Association (Association) cares about this issue, well it’s because there is a growing body of evidence shows some of the most dangerous pregnancy-related complications – preeclampsia, blood clots, and heart problems such as cardiomyopathy – may not surface until weeks or months after delivery. These issues are rising in prevalence, and mothers need access to care during this high-risk time frame.
Data collected by the CDC tells us that 50% of Hawaii’s pregnancy-related deaths happen between 43 and 365 days after birth. That same data indicated that 80% of pregnancy-related deaths in Hawaii were found to be preventable.
In order to ensure all mothers have access to care during this critical time, we supported extending postpartum Medicaid coverage to a full year. The Association believes all mothers deserve quality care and coverage before, during, and after pregnancy. Healthy mothers are often the foundation of healthy families.
Thank you for your support of this issue during the legislative session. We are thrilled to share with you this great news that is one more step toward building a healthier Hawaii.
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