Legislation That Would Extend Medicaid Coverage for Postpartum Mothers

Pictured:  Nicole Hudzinski, American Heart Association Government Relations Director and Dr. Annmae Minichiello

By Annmae Minichiello, Midwest

On February 12, 2025, I had the honor—once again—to testify in support of Senate Bill 23, a pivotal piece of legislation that would extend Medicaid coverage to a full year for postpartum mothers.

Every mother knows that the first year of motherhood is both beautiful and terrifying—filled with moments of indescribable joy along with overwhelming physical and emotional exhaustion. During this incredibly vulnerable time, access to healthcare isn’t a privilege; it’s a necessity.

Advocating for this bill before the Senate committee was monumental. I sat at the table alongside remarkable physicians, healthcare workers, senators, and fellow mothers—each with their own powerful stories—united in the fight to ensure no mother is left without care during one of the most critical times in her life.

I understand firsthand just how vital postpartum healthcare is. After giving birth to my first daughter, Skylar, I was diagnosed with peripartum cardiomyopathy—a rare and life-threatening form of heart failure. Just days after being discharged, I was rushed back to the cardiac ICU, fighting for my life. I was one of the lucky ones. I had insurance. I had an incredible medical team. I had the chance to recover. But what about the mothers who don’t?

This bill isn’t just about my story—it’s about every mother’s story. It’s about the women who are sent home with unmanaged conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, or postpartum depression and trauma, only to find that their healthcare coverage has been ripped away after two months. Two months is not enough. It is unfathomable that, in a time when new mothers are at their most vulnerable, we allow so many to fall through the cracks.

Passing this bill is more than a policy change—it is a life-saving decision. It is the difference between a mother surviving or suffering, between recovery or crisis, between life or death.

No mother should have to fight for the care she needs to heal. And with this bill, we have the power to change that and save the lives of the women we love.