Gov. Tate Reeves, who for more than a year refused to endorse lengthening postpartum Medicaid coverage for new mothers from 60 days to a year, on Sunday announced his support for the extension.
In a social media post, the first-term Republican governor facing reelection later this year said the Legislature should pass a bill extending health coverage for new mothers from 60 days to 12 months and that he would sign the proposal into law. It is not clear whether legislation is needed to extend postpartum or whether Reeves, as the head of the Division of Medicaid, could do so on his own. Legislative leaders have for months said Reeves’ administration could pass the policy without legislative approval.