New Law Extends Medicaid Oral Health Postpartum Coverage
The importance of good oral health care during and after
pregnancy is well established. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
60 to 75% of pregnant women have gingivitis. Periodontitis has been associated
with poor pregnancy outcomes, including preterm birth and low birth weight.
As of April 1, states may now cover a full year postpartum
of oral health and other health care to as many as 720,000 pregnant and postpartum
women nationwide. This coverage could be guaranteed for Medicaid and the Children’s
Health Insurance Program (CHIP). According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services (CMS), Medicaid covers 42% of all births in the nation, and now there
is this new option for states to extend Medicaid and CHIP coverage because of
a provision in the American Rescue Plan signed into law last year (Public Law 117-2).
Previously, states were required to use the time-consuming
Sec. 1115 waiver authority procedure to offer this coverage. Under the new provision,
a state may do so by changing their state Medicaid plan. Louisiana is the first
state CMS is approving to take advantage of this new state plan opportunity under
the new law. CMS is also working with an additional nine states to extend postpartum
coverage. In 2021, Illinois, New Jersey and Virginia were the first states to
use Medicaid demonstration authority to provide 12 months of continuous postpartum
coverage for all Medicaid and CHIP enrollees.
Other
states interested in learning about extending postpartum coverage through the
new law can contact their CMS state lead or consult the state health official letter CMS issued in December 2021.
