AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott this week announced that Texas is extending postpartum coverage to 12 months for eligible Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) recipients through the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), effective March 1, 2024.

“Working with partners in the Texas Legislature last year—including Senator Lois Kolkhorst and Representative Toni Rose—we delivered critical bipartisan legislation to extend postpartum coverage for Texas mothers from two months to one year,” said Governor Abbott. “By extending postpartum Medicaid and CHIP coverage, we will help ensure new mothers and the most vulnerable young Texans receive critical healthcare resources they need to care for their families and thrive.”

“Extending postpartum coverage will help new mothers access needed healthcare services,” said HHS Executive Commissioner Cecile Erwin Young. “HHSC is proud to continue supporting Texas families.”

Last year, Governor Abbott signed House Bill 12 into law, extending Medicaid and CHIP postpartum coverage from two to 12 months. Anyone enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP who is pregnant or becomes pregnant is eligible for the extended coverage. In January, the Governor and HHSC announced that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services approved Texas’ request to make this extension of postpartum coverage.

Coverage will be automatically reinstated for individuals who were enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP in Texas while pregnant and are still within their 12-month postpartum period, as long as they still live in Texas. Coverage will be reinstated for the remainder of their 12-month postpartum period.

Women who transitioned from Medicaid or CHIP to Healthy Texas Women after their pregnancy ended and are still within their 12-month postpartum period will be transitioned back to full-coverage Medicaid or CHIP for the remainder of their 12-month postpartum period.

Among the numerous services covered by Medicaid and CHIP are:

• Regular medical checkups
• Prescription drugs and vaccines
• Hospital care and services
• X-rays and lab tests
• Vision and hearing care
• Access to medical specialists and mental health care
• Treatment of special health needs and preexisting conditions

Texas projects approximately 137,000 women will benefit from 12-month postpartum coverage in fiscal year 2025.

Find more information on Medicaid and CHIP postpartum coverage on HHSC’s Women and Children webpage. To apply for Medicaid or CHIP, call 2-1-1 and choose Option 2 or visit YourTexasBenefits.com.