New Moms Are Now Covered for 12 Months After Pregnancy
March 21, 2024
Were you pregnant recently? If you received Medicaid or CHIP benefits while pregnant, you can now keep those benefits for a year after your pregnancy ends.
As of March 1, 2024, Texas Health and Human Services (HHSC) has extended its postpartum Medicaid and CHIP coverage from 2 to 12 months of benefits for eligible women.
Who Qualifies for the Extra Coverage?
- Medicaid or CHIP recipients who are pregnant or become pregnant, and women who enroll because they become pregnant.
- Medicaid or CHIP recipients who were enrolled while pregnant, or are no longer pregnant but are still within their 12-month postpartum period.
- Women who received services while pregnant in Texas that would have been covered by Medicaid, but who apply for Medicaid after their pregnancy ends.
Did you change from Medicaid or CHIP to Healthy Texas Women (HTW) after your pregnancy ended?
If it has been less than 12 months since your pregnancy ended, your full Medicaid or CHIP coverage will be reinstated.
Do I need to apply to receive extra postpartum benefits?
No – Medicaid and CHIP recipients do not need to apply to have their coverage extended. Texas HHSC will contact you by mail or through Your Texas Benefits, if you have an account. If your pregnancy ended more than 6 months ago, you may be asked to select your health plan. (Note: CHIP Perinate members are not eligible for the extension.)
Questions?
Click here for more information about the postpartum coverage extension.
