Raleigh, NC – Today marks the first day that pregnant people will be able to benefit from Medicaid coverage up to one year postpartum. Thanks to Democrats’ ongoing advocacy, the North Carolina General Assembly added the provision to their budget last year, granting critical support to families and improving the health and wellbeing of new parents and their babies. Previously, coverage lasted just 60 days after birth.

“This extension is critical for the 41 percent of births in North Carolina that are covered by Medicaid. In a state with world-renowned health care options, no North Carolinian should have to worry about access to life saving care,” said NCDP Spokesperson Rachel Stein. “Yet, despite pleas from Democrats, Republicans, patients, health care providers, and industry leaders – legislative Republicans continue to drag their feet on expanding access to health care for the remainder of low-income adults.”

North Carolina is currently one of just 12 nationwide that has not expanded Medicaid, instead choosing to leave more than 600,000 North Carolinians uninsured and leaving more than $1.7 billion incentive provided in President Biden’s American Rescue Plan on the table. 

Currently, North Carolina ranks 30th in the country in maternal mortality and 39th in infant mortality. In addition, 12 percent of women in the state experience postpartum depression. The state has the sixth-highest uninsured rate in the country at 11.3 percent.

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