Earlier today, New Jersey became the second state in the nation to provide Medicaid expansion to new mothers 365 days postpartum. The new policy, announced by First Lady Tammy Murphy and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, follows a request by the state to expand Medicaid coverage to advance racial equity in infant and maternal health. In response to today’s announcement, New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP) releases the following statement.
Brittany Holom-Trundy, Ph.D., Senior Policy Analyst, NJPP:
“Building a strong economy that works for everyone starts with providing new parents and their children the support they need. By expanding Medicaid coverage for a full year after birth, New Jersey will keep families healthy and reduce racial disparities in maternal health. This is one of the single best investments we can make to improve long-term health outcomes and set children up for success later in life. To ensure no families are left behind from these benefits, lawmakers should further expand access to Medicaid coverage to all New Jersey adults, regardless of where they were born.”
Read more about the benefits of maintaining continuous Medicaid coverage here.
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