New Jersey Becomes Second State in the Nation and First in the Region to Provide Medicaid Expansion to Improve Maternal and Infant Health and Decrease the Racial Disparity in Birth Outcomes.
First Lady Tammy Murphy and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra announced, on October 28th, that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will expand Medicaid coverage for 365 days postpartum to improve maternal and infant health and decrease the racial disparity in birth outcomes in New Jersey. By extending this critical coverage, approximately 8,700 postpartum New Jerseyans annually will receive comprehensive access to healthcare for a full year through Medicaid. This announcement makes New Jersey the second state in the nation and first state in the region to provide this Medicaid expansion with the goal of preventing postpartum related illness and death.