Post-pregnancy SoonerCare coverage expanded from 2 to 12 months
New mothers in Oklahoma will now have up to a full year of Medicaid coverage instead of just 60 days after pregnancy.
Oklahoma is the 30th state to be approved for the extended coverage, which will be handled through the state's Medicaid coverage program SoonerCare.
The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced the expansion this week. The decision follows a request by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to expand pregnancy and postpartum services for SoonerCare members. A task force appointed by Gov. Kevin Stitt unanimously recommended the expansion in September.
"As governor, my vision is to make Oklahoma a Top Ten state in everything we do, including health care outcomes, so ensuring more women have access to better, longer care is a positive step in the right direction for our state," said Stitt.
Recipients of this expanded program can get full Medicaid benefits from doctors, health departments and rural health clinics for up to a year after pregnancy.
Available services and procedures include the following:
Lactation consultation services
Labs and X-rays
Hospitals, anesthesia and outpatient surgical centers
Alternative treatment for pain management
Prescriptions
Dental services
Medical equipment, such as wheelchairs
Mental and behavioral health care
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"This expanded coverage will allow thousands of Oklahoma women to have access to services to reduce risk and create additional opportunities for better health outcomes," said Kevin Corbett, secretary of Health and Mental Health Services and CEO of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority. "Oklahoma is on a health care transformation journey, and this step will ensure women have access to quality care."
With the increased income threshold, OHCA estimates 2,500 SoonerCare members in the current eligibility group will transition to full-scope pregnancy benefits and maintain coverage through the postpartum period and up to an additional 14,000 Oklahoma women will be eligible for SoonerCare for a full year after pregnancy.
One-third of maternal deaths occur in the postpartum period, including up to one year after childbirth. Almost 12% occur past the six-week postpartum visit. More than half of these deaths are preventable and often related to chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, mental illness and substance misuse. Further, postpartum depression affects one out of every nine new mothers, with 40-60% of low-income new mothers reporting depressive symptoms.
"Access to more health care services for pregnant postpartum women is vital to better health outcomes for mother and child," said State Medicaid Director Traylor Rains. "With this expanded coverage, we can work to help these new mothers and their children have a healthy start to their lives."
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Post-pregnancy SoonerCare coverage expanded to 12 months
