Postpartum Medicaid Use in Birthing Parents and Access to Financed Care

(Abstracted from JAMA Health Forum 2025;6(6):e251630) Medicaid covers more than 40% of all births in the United States, but pregnancy-related physical and mental health coverage traditionally ends 60 days postpartum. Recognizing the limitations of this policy, the American Rescue Act of 2021 allowed states to extend coverage to 12 months after delivery-a change now adopted by all states except Arkansas.