S. 2085: Postpartum Lifeline Act

This bill, known as the Postpartum Lifeline Act, aims to extend healthcare coverage for pregnant individuals under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Here’s a breakdown of the main provisions in simpler terms:

Medicaid Coverage Enhancements

The bill mandates that states must provide full benefits under Medicaid for a continuous period of 12 months for individuals who are pregnant. This means:

• Pregnant individuals will receive medical assistance not only for pregnancy-related services (like prenatal care, delivery, and postpartum care) but also for other health issues that may complicate pregnancy.
• The changes will remove previous limitations that restricted coverage only to pregnancy-related services.
• States will be required to comply with these new rules without needing to seek approval or make an optional election for this enhanced coverage.

CHIP Coverage Amendments

For the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), this bill similarly requires:

• The inclusion of full medical benefits for pregnant individuals, extending to 12 months after the end of their pregnancy.
• Adherence to the specified rules about continuous coverage for pregnant individuals.

Effective Date and Implementation

The amendments made by this bill will take effect on the first day of the first calendar quarter that starts one year after the bill is enacted. Additionally, if state legislation is needed for compliance, state plans will not be penalized for not meeting the requirements until the end of their legislative session.

States have the option to implement the changes earlier if they choose to do so.

Relevant Companies

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