Bipartisan bill to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage deserves vote in Assembly
For the second time in two sessions, a bill was introduced that seeks to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to a year. This bill, Senate Bill 23/Assembly Bill 97, has received support across political lines, including lawmakers, pro-choice and pro-life advocacy groups, and Wisconsin residents. We, two women with occasionally divergent views, share the belief that the legislature can come together to pass this bill.
However, the bill is in danger of being blocked by Speaker Robin Vos, who has been in the Assembly for two decades fighting for what he believes will benefit our great state. We invite Vos to stand up for the women, children, and families whom he serves by joining the vast majority of Wisconsinites in favor of this extension.
We are two of those Wisconsinites. We met last year during a civic experiment that intended to help citizens from across all points of the political spectrum discover common ground on abortion and family well-being. As part of this experiment, hosted by Builders, a nonpartisan movement working to address toxic polarization in the United States, we were encouraged to share our differing perspectives and the unique life experiences that have shaped our views.
Despite our disagreement on abortion, we realized we have a shared mission: supporting Wisconsin's women and families. This discovery propelled us – and the other twelve Wisconsinites who participated – forward. Together, we worked through a process that included both conflict and consensus.
All of us, from activists who have promoted pro-life public policy to advocates for abortion access, agreed upon the need for high-quality healthcare for the entire 12-month postpartum period. One of the proposals we prepared together matches SB23/AB97, and it received overwhelming support from respondents statewide.
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Wisconsin is one of two states that has not passed this extension. Yet stagnation on this issue does not reflect the public will. Extended Medicaid coverage is crucial for the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of mothers and their children. Sixty days is insufficient to address the vast array of medical needs that arise during the postpartum period.
In the United States, 14% of women experience postpartum depression in the year after delivery. In recent years, Wisconsin saw a 30% increase in maternal deaths within one year of giving birth. This is seen especially among Black women and women from low-income households, who suffer worse maternal health outcomes.
Prolonged coverage would not only ensure continuity of care; it would also generate cost savings. States that have implemented an extension have seen a reduction in hospitalizations and emergency visits. Given Wisconsin's hospital costs are among the highest in the country, our state could benefit from rethinking the cost advantages of this bill.
Against the backdrop of an increasingly polarized political system, the potential of a bipartisan legislative victory feels both meaningful and aligned with what citizens want. Passing this bill would send a powerful message: In Wisconsin, bipartisan collaboration is possible.
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We have faith that Speaker Vos and his colleagues in the Assembly will answer our call. Vos has already expressed his desire to, 'protect life while ensuring women receive necessary medical care.' The passage of this bill offers him the opportunity to properly represent his constituents.
Kai Gardner Mishlove is executive director of Jewish Social Services, which serves vulnerable communities in achieving access to vital health and social services. Kateri Klingele Pinell is a clinical mental health professional and co-founder of the Wisconsin Student Parents Organization at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Both are members of the Builders Movement in Wisconsin, which equips citizens to solve problems together.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Robin Vos cannot continue to block vote on bill for new moms | Opinion
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