Biden-Harris admin announces Nevada as 46th state (+ DC & USVI) to expand postpartum Medicaid/CHIP coverage to a full 12 months

via the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS):

CMS Approves State Plan Amendments Extending Postpartum Coverage in Nevada

May 3: CMS marked another important maternal health milestone by approving Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) postpartum coverage extensions in Nevada, an opportunity made possible through the American Rescue Plan (ARP). Nationally, people across 46 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S.V.I. now have access to Medicaid and CHIP coverage for a full 12 months following pregnancy — up from just 60 days before the ARP.

Postpartum coverage extensions form one of the cornerstones of CMS’ Maternity Care Action Plan — part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis. Here are the approved state plan amendments for Nevada for Medicaid and CHIP.

This is awesome news for Nevada, but I'm still confused as to why CMS has issued full-blown press releases for 12-month postpartum Medicaid coverage extensions in some states (like this one for Utah back in March) while relegating others to a simple bullet point in a "weekly roundup" post like the one for Nevada.

Regardless, this is still a pretty big deal, and it leaves just four states left without 12-month postpartum Medicaid/CHIP coverage (Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa & Wisconsin).

According to the Utah press release, 691,000 Americans had gained extended postpartum coverage; Nevada should add several thousand more. The Utah press release stated that if the four remaining states join in the total would increase to around 725,000 people.

Advertisement