Greenstein, Singer Bill Extending Medicaid Coverage to Eligible Pregnant Women Clears Senate

Trenton – Legislation sponsored by Senator Linda Greenstein and Senator Robert Singer, which would provide Medicaid coverage to eligible pregnant women for a six-month period beginning on the last day of a pregnant woman’s pregnancy, passed the Senate.

“After the birth of a child, women are vulnerable to a plethora of health challenges that can arise at any given time,” said Senator Greenstein (D-Mercer/Middlesex). “Many low-income women of reproductive age do not have health insurance coverage and without extended access to Medicaid, low-income women do not receive the recommended level of care between pregnancies. This underscores the importance of extending Medicaid coverage to reach more low-income women, which would significantly improve the health of women and children in our state.”

The bill, S-3374, would extend the coverage of Medicaid services to pregnant women whose income does not exceed the highest income eligibility level established for pregnant women under the State Medicaid plan for a six-month period beginning on the last day of a pregnant woman’s pregnancy.

Under current State law, Medicaid coverage for this population is extended for a 60-day period beginning on the last day of the pregnancy.

The bill was released by the Senate with a vote of 39-0.