Rutgers Study Reveals Postpartum Medicaid Enrollment Surged to 77 Percent Under Pandemic Era Continuous Coverage Policy

Rutgers researchers find postpartum Medicaid enrollment hit 77% during the pandemic, but warn that communication is key to improving maternal health outcomes.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 14, 2026, 7:18 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from EurekAlert!

The Impact of Federal Mandates on Maternal Insurance Stability

The implementation of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act fundamentally altered the landscape of maternal healthcare by requiring states to maintain Medicaid enrollment during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Erica Eliason, an assistant professor at Rutgers Health and lead author of a new analysis in The Milbank Quarterly, this policy effectively paused disenrollment and provided a critical safety net for postpartum individuals. By offering enhanced federal funding in exchange for continuous coverage, the mandate addressed a long-standing gap in the American healthcare system where pregnancy-related Medicaid typically expired shortly after childbirth.

Quantifying the Shift in Coverage Continuity

The statistical impact of the continuous coverage requirement was profound, according to the Rutgers Center for State Health Policy. Before the enactment of the federal policy, only 37 percent of individuals remained insured through Medicaid 12 months after giving birth. During the implementation of the act, that figure surged to 77 percent. This jump represents a massive expansion in insurance continuity for nearly half a million individuals across the 15 states analyzed, providing a unique window into the effects of extended eligibility on healthcare utilization.

Emergency Care and Mental Health Trends Post-Childbirth

While insurance coverage increased, the study revealed modest and specific changes in how beneficiaries utilized healthcare services between three and 12 months postpartum. The data showed a notable increase in emergency department visits, calculated at approximately 107 additional visits per 1,000 beneficiaries. Furthermore, there was a higher proportion of individuals receiving medical services specifically linked to mental and behavioral health diagnoses. These findings suggest that while the financial barrier to care was reduced, many patients may have been addressing acute or psychological needs that were previously neglected.