Overview

• Texas has received federal approval to extend Medicaid coverage for low-income mothers from two months to 12 months postpartum, effective from March 1, 2024.
• The extension is expected to benefit approximately 137,000 women in the fiscal year 2025.
• Texas is the 43rd state to receive approval for this extension, which was authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023.
• Despite the extension, issues with Medicaid applications and renewals persist in Texas, with whistleblowers highlighting dysfunction within the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC).
• Further priorities for reducing Texas' high maternal mortality rate include clarifying medical exceptions for abortions and protecting access to contraceptives.