Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont) commends Rep. Toni Rose (D-Dallas) for her work on legislation that would extend the length of time a new mom in Texas has access to Medicaid insurance.
The state currently offers new mothers two months of postpartum services under Medicaid. Under House Bill 133, Medicaid coverage would last six months after they give birth or experience an involuntary miscarriage.
“Thank you, @RepToniRoseTX and the Texas House for all your hard work,” Phelan wrote in a May 28 Twitter post.
Childbirth can lead to a number of issues that can potentially result in death of the new mother, according to a press release released by Rose, the bill’s author. This includes postpartum depression, and underlying conditions such as hypertension and diabetes.
“Women without comprehensive health care is the number one cause of death amongst women after pregnancy,” Rose said in April. “This legislation will save lives.”
While Rose is grateful the bill is moving forward to Gov. Greg Abbott‘s desk, the amount of extended Medicaid coverage falls short on what was originally proposed.
“We wanted a full 12 months but give praise for the six, knowing we still have work to do,” Rose wrote in a May 27 Facebook post.
HB 133 also transitions the Healthy Texas Women Program to a Medicaid managed care program. Those enrolled must posses a household income that is between 100 and 200% of the federal poverty level.
The legislation is part of a legislative health care package that had earned Phelan’s approval.
Among things included in the package of bills are increasing access to telehealth and telemedicine, increasing flexibility in vaccine delivery, lowering drug costs for the uninsured, promoting transparency in hospital pricing and increasing health coverage options.