Medicaid expansion states reduce postpartum hospitalizations

A January Health Affairs study found states that expanded Medicaid coverage to low-income adults in 2014 under the Affordable Care Act reduced postpartum hospitalizations for low-income people. The study compared 2010-2017 data from four states that expanded Medicaid and four that did not. The authors found a 17% decrease in the occurrence of 60-day postpartum hospitalizations among people with Medicaid-financed deliveries in states with ACA Medicaid expansions compared with those in non-expansion states. “This is notable, given that Medicaid pregnancy coverage only expires after 60 days,” the authors wrote. “One potential explanation for this finding is that expanded Medicaid may affect postpartum outcomes by increasing coverage and access to care before pregnancy.”