Medicaid coverage after childbirth and care for moms and babies
The Effects of the Medicaid Continuous Coverage Requirement during the Public Health Emergency on Postpartum Coverage and Maternal and Infant Care after Childbirth
This project looks at whether keeping Medicaid active longer after a birth helps new mothers and their babies, especially in low-income and Black communities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11193259 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
As a new parent, this work uses Medicaid billing records to see how extending coverage after childbirth changes whether mothers get follow-up care and whether infants get recommended visits. The team compares care use before and after the COVID-era continuous coverage requirement to isolate the policy's effects. They use methods that try to separate the effect of the coverage change from other factors happening at the same time. The focus is on low-income people and groups who have faced higher risks and worse outcomes, such as Black birthing people.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who gave birth while enrolled in Medicaid, particularly low-income and Black birthing people affected by Medicaid coverage changes during the COVID public health emergency, are the main group this work examines.
Not a fit: People with stable private health insurance or those never covered by Medicaid are unlikely to be directly affected by this research's findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could support policies that keep postpartum Medicaid coverage longer so more mothers and babies get needed care and fewer complications occur.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies suggest longer postpartum coverage can increase care use, but applying large Medicaid claims and rigorous causal methods to the COVID-era policy change is a relatively new and growing approach.
Where this research is happening
Newark, UNITED STATES
- Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences — Newark, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Eliason, Erica L — Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Eliason, Erica L
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.