During Iowa Senate debate on February 19, 2024, Democratic State Senators Pam Jochum and Janet Petersen spoke in favor of a Democratic amendment to Senate File 2251, which extends postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to 12 months for some women, while cutting thousands of other women off from Medicaid. Petersen's amendment would extend postpartum coverage for all women who currently qualify for Iowa Medicaid.
Jochum told GOP colleagues, "This is your chance to actually show that you care about babies and women after they're. After they're born. To make sure that these babies and these moms are going to be healthy." She said she couldn't think of a more "pro-life" measure than that.
Petersen then delivered closing remarks in favor of her amendment. She reminded colleagues that Governor Kim Reynolds' bill "does not put one dime of new money" toward extending postpartum coverage. She pays for extending postpartum coverage for a few by dropping thousands of pregnant moms and babies off Medicaid. "She walks away from more than $10 million [in federal funds] every year with this legislation. Iowa is better than this. We are number one in the nation for Medicaid coverage for moms. We should be extending the twelve-month postpartum to all moms, not dumping babies and pregnant moms overboard."
Republicans voted down Petersen's amendment along party lines, and later the same day approved the bill on a mostly party-line vote.
11 май 2024
