Largely due to these state policy decisions, Texas has the highest uninsured rate in the nation for women of childbearing age, right around 25 percent.
Coronavirus and this recession are likely to exacerbate the problem, as many Texas women lose their jobs and their health insurance. Meanwhile, many of the moms and other women who are still working these days — as child care educators, home health aides, janitors, grocery store cashiers, and so on — also have no way to get health insurance.
There are clear steps that state leaders and the Legislature should take to close these gaps. Instead of knocking new moms off of their health insurance two months after childbirth, Texas leaders can extend their Medicaid coverage to 12 months. In fact, during the pandemic, Texas is temporarily allowing women to stay enrolled longer than two months. Texas leaders can accept Medicaid expansion funding from the federal government to provide an insurance option to adults below the poverty line. State leaders can make other changes to the duration, eligibility, and scope of services in these programs.
