releases: https://axne.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-advances-axne-backed-legislation-help-new-mothers
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| url | title | date | year | month | party | chamber | state | member_name | bioguide_id | domain | scraper | source | date_source | text | has_text | collected_at | updated_at |
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| https://axne.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-advances-axne-backed-legislation-help-new-mothers | House Advances Axne-Backed Legislation to Help New Mothers | 2020-09-29 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | IA | Cynthia Axne | A000378 | axne.house.gov | legacy | Today, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation cosponsored by Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03) to expand Medicaid to help new mothers. The Helping Medicaid Offer Maternity Services Act of 2019, or Helping MOMS Act,willallow states to provide one year of postpartum coverage for women under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The current law requires only 60 days of coverage for mothers. Mothers across this country will tell you that twomonths is just the beginning of healing after childbirth,said Rep. AxneThis bill will help ensure that Iowa's moms have all the support they need for health care conditionslike depression, gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiomyopathy, and countlessotherillnesses a new mother can experience. Medical researchershaveshown that a woman's postpartum period lasts up to 12 months after the delivery ofababy. While newborn babies are eligible for Medicaid or CHIPfor their first year oflifeto cover any complications that arise during this critical time, their mothers lose their health insurance coveragejust60 days after delivering their child. One study showed that 70% of new moms will have at least one health complication within a year of giving birth. The Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP) thanks Congresswoman Axne for cosponsoring the Helping MOMS Act and for her continued support to ensure this bill received a vote in the House,said Jonathan Webb, CEO of AMCHP.Iowa's own maternal mortality review committee recommends extending Medicaid for one full year postpartum instead of the current cut-off of 60 days in order to improve access to and continuity of care for women in that crucial window of time after giving birth. The Helping MOMS Act makes it easier for states to make that change and has great potential to improve maternal health outcomes for women in Iowa and across the United States. "MomsRising applauds the House passage of the Helping MOMS Act, said Nadia Hussain, Maternal Justice Campaign Director for MomsRising Together. Too often moms lose their lives during the postpartum period. Expanding Medicaid to one year after birth will be critical for saving the lives of moms, helping to ensure that they can be there to watchtheir children grow and thrive. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |