The Office of the Governor of the State of Wisconsin

07/01/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/01/2026 08:38

Gov. Evers, DHS Celebrate Extended Postpartum Medicaid Coverage Now in Effect for Wisconsin Moms and Families

Press Release: Gov. Evers, DHS Celebrate Extended Postpartum Medicaid Coverage Now in Effect for Wisconsin Moms and Families

State of Wisconsin sent this bulletin at 07/01/2026 05:00 AM CDT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 1, 2026
Contact: [email protected]
Gov. Evers, DHS Celebrate Extended Postpartum Medicaid Coverage Now in Effect for Wisconsin Moms and Families
After years of working to secure a full year of postpartum coverage, more than 16,000 Wisconsinites are expected to gain extended coverage this year alone
MADISON - Gov. Tony Evers today, together with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), celebrated that Wisconsin moms are now eligible for 12 months of postpartum Medicaid healthcare coverage thanks to a bipartisan bill signed by Gov. Evers earlier this year that goes into full effect today, July 1. This is expected to help more than 16,000 Medicaid members this year alone and delivers on a key promise Gov. Evers made to Wisconsin moms, babies, and families to expand postpartum Medicaid coverage as governor.

"Extending postpartum coverage was the right move for Wisconsin families and the right move for our state, and I'm darn proud that we got this done so that more moms and babies have the care they need when they need it," said Gov. Evers. "We know that postpartum recovery is a heckuva a lot longer than 60 days, and expanded postpartum coverage can and will save lives. That's why I've been fighting to get this done for a long time, and I am glad Wisconsin's women and families are finally getting the expanded coverage they deserve, including over 16,000 moms this year alone. That is a really big deal."

For Medicaid members who are currently pregnant or still within 60 days postpartum as of May 31, 2026, Wisconsin Medicaid will automatically extend their coverage for the full year. Medicaid or BadgerCare Plus members who have questions about the extended postpartum coverage should contact their local county or Tribal agency.

Since Day One, Gov. Evers has been a relentless advocate for expanding access to quality, affordable healthcare and improving maternal and infant health outcomes in Wisconsin. Gov. Evers has made extending postpartum coverage to one year a cornerstone of his "Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies" initiative, which he's spent seven years working to pass, including the proposal in each of his four budgets as governor and even going so far as to repeatedly and directly implore lawmakers in many of his major addresses over eight years as governor to do so. The governor renewed his call for lawmakers to extend postpartum coverage once again earlier this year in a letter to members of the Wisconsin State Legislature outlining his top legislative priorities for 2026. In March, the governor was proud to sign this important priority into law for expecting moms and their babies at a press conference with advocates, moms, and healthcare providers.

"Healthcare coverage is critical after pregnancy. A full year of coverage gives new parents and their babies the access to care and the safe and stable supports they need to thrive, from birth to baby's first birthday," said DHS Secretary Kirsten Johnson. "We know nearly half of pregnancy-related deaths happen in the year after a pregnancy ends, in what's often called the 'fourth trimester,' but nearly all of these deaths are preventable. This coverage will save lives."

"This is a huge win for Wisconsin birthing people and their families, and we still have a lot of work to do to improve health outcomes for birthing people in our state. Let's use this as momentum, but we can't stop here," said Dr. Jasmine Zapata, state epidemiologist for maternal and child health and chronic diseases and Bureau of Community Health Promotion chief medical officer. "In my years of practice, I have learned that we all have a stake in making sure pregnancy and birth are a time for health and joy, not something to fear, and one life lost to pregnancy complications is one too many."

From pregnancy to childbirth to postpartum and beyond, ensuring the health and wellness of all mothers and babies in Wisconsin has been a top priority for Gov. Evers and the Evers Administration. Despite advances in medical science and technology, pregnancy-related complications and deaths continue to occur at high levels in Wisconsin. According to DHS's Division of Public Health, Wisconsin's severe maternal morbidity rate, which is described as serious birth complications or "near-misses," has steadily increased in recent years, and the rate of severe maternal morbidity for people on Medicaid or BadgerCare Plus is higher than for those with private insurance.

According to DHS, nearly half of pregnancy-related deaths occur in the postpartum period, and the Wisconsin Maternal Mortality Review Team found that nearly all (95 percent) of these deaths were preventable. Unfortunately, in Wisconsin, this issue disproportionately affects families of color, especially Black families, as Black mothers are approximately 2.5 times more likely than their white, non-Hispanic peers to die from complications of pregnancy and childbirth. Despite these appalling realities and the concept of expanding postpartum coverage having overwhelming support of 66 percent of Wisconsinites and a bipartisan supermajority in the Wisconsin State Legislature, Wisconsin has for years been one of just two states in the nation that had not expanded postpartum coverage under Medicaid to 12 months-until now.

Thanks to this extended coverage now in effect, many new parents who may have previously lost their coverage after 60 days will no longer have to worry about finding new health insurance or facing overwhelming out-of-pocket costs for life-saving care during a time when they need it most. Postpartum Medicaid coverage gives mothers and families support for several needs, including help with pain, shortness of breath, exhaustion, feeding, and other concerns. It also provides comprehensive support when a pregnancy does not end with a live birth, such as a miscarriage or stillbirth. This extended Medicaid coverage allows access to treatment for postpartum depression, long-acting reversible contraceptives (like IUDs), and chronic issues. It helps people prepare for future, healthy pregnancies, which can also improve the baby's health by preventing premature birth, low birth weight, congenital disorders, and other conditions.

One-year postpartum Medicaid coverage also includes mental or behavioral health services. Research shows that one in eight mothers experiences postpartum depression, and suicide is a leading cause of maternal death. Among people with opioid use disorder, the risk of overdose is highest seven to 12 months postpartum. Extended coverage guarantees access to treatment and recovery programs, therapy, psychiatric support, and medication.
An online version of this release is available here.
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Office of the Governor • 115 East Capitol, Madison, WI 53702
Press Office Email: [email protected]
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The Office of the Governor of the State of Wisconsin published this content on July 01, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on July 01, 2026 at 14:38 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]