It won’t come as a surprise that I’m talking about postpartum Medicaid coverage again. For years now, Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families has been at the forefront of the conversation about the need to extend postpartum coverage for Pregnancy Medicaid in our state. But sometimes there are moments in time that feel like a perfect storm connecting the dots. The last week of February was one of those moments.

In late February, Wisconsin voted to guarantee 12-month postpartum coverage with 95-to-1 bipartisan support. This leaves Arkansas as the only state in the nation without this protection and facing even steeper coverage losses due to last year’s passage of H.R. 1 (AKA the “One Big Beautiful Bill”). 

Then, last week, newly released postpartum Medicaid coverage data from DHS revealed a shocking reality: 44% of postpartum mothers lost Medicaid coverage in the fourth quarter of 2025 — the worst quarterly performance since tracking began.

This all happened the same week we launched our new postpartum health campaign with partners and advocates around the state to call on Arkansas leaders to finally extend postpartum Medicaid.

Let’s dig in a little deeper if you’re not up to speed:

The Numbers Tell an Urgent Story 

Medicaid pays for 41% of all births in Arkansas — making the program the backbone of prenatal, maternity, and postpartum care. Yet postpartum coverage retention has collapsed: 

• 44% of individuals lost Medicaid coverage within one quarter of giving birth (Q4 data) 
• This represents the lowest retention rate on record 
• 95% who lost Medicaid had no known source of insurance at the end of the postpartum period
• An estimated 131,000 Arkansans are likely to lose health coverage entirely due to federal policy changes, including expiration of enhanced premium tax credits

We have been told that women may be able to enroll in other insurance options like the marketplace, but it is our understanding that DHS does not have access to data to determine that. With skyrocketing marketplace premiums, it will become increasingly difficult for women to take that route.  And all this happening mere weeks after giving birth makes it even more crucial to close this coverage gap by expanding postpartum coverage. 

This data should alarm every Arkansan who cares about maternal health. Arkansas already has a maternal health crisis, and women are losing coverage right when they’re most vulnerable to life-threatening complications.

Arkansas Is Now the Only State Without Expanded Postpartum Medicaid Coverage 

Wisconsin’s near-unanimous vote yesterday proves this isn’t controversial. The Medicaid expansion passed 95-1 — with bipartisan support from Republicans and Democrats alike. It joins all other states and the District of Columbia in protecting mothers during the critical postpartum period. 

With Wisconsin’s passage, Arkansas is now the only state in the nation without expanded postpartum Medicaid coverage.  

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has called the postpartum period the highest-risk window for maternal death. According to ACOG, more than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths occur after delivery — many of which could have been prevented with timely care. In Arkansas, which has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the nation, losing coverage during this critical window is literally a matter of life and death. 

Arkansas Has Already Shown It Can Act 

The political will exists in Arkansas. Last year, the state demonstrated its commitment to maternal health innovation by expanding Medicaid eligibility processes, adding coverage for doula services, and enabling remote vital monitoring. Extending postpartum coverage to 12 months is the logical next step, building on progress already underway. 

The question is not whether Arkansas can extend postpartum coverage. Wisconsin just proved that even divided legislatures can pass this unanimously. The question is whether state leadership chooses to act now, before federal cuts make it harder. 

What Arkansas Must Do 

Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families is calling on Arkansas leaders to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months, matching Wisconsin and all other states that have already acted to protect mothers during this critical period. Arkansas directed more than $40 million to improving maternal health with the Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Act. Taking this small but incredibly impactful step will only make those investments more impactful for thousands of new moms who will keep their coverage through the year.

Every day of uncovered care during the postpartum period is a day that complications could go untreated, medications could go unfilled, necessary care could go unmet. Over the past year, we’ve spoken to women across the state facing serious issues from postpartum depression to ongoing c-section complications who have lost access to health care following childbirth. Postpartum coverage is not a luxury. It’s a fundamental requirement for maternal and child health in Arkansas. It’s time to ensure no new mothers lose health care during the year. It’s time to act, and the past few weeks serve as even more proof.

We need moms, dads, friends, advocates — people who have been impacted by this issue — to help lead the way! If you’re an individual or part of an organization who cares about postpartum health and wants to get connected to our campaign, you can get in touch with us through this interest form.