Public Coverage of Postpartum Services for Immigrants

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Public Health Policy
• Health Disparities

Background:

• 23% of US births are to non-US-born parents; 6% to undocumented immigrants.
• Many immigrants face barriers to postpartum care and contraception access.
• These barriers contribute to significant maternal and child health disparities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine state-level variations in publicly funded postpartum insurance coverage for immigrant birthing parents.
• To identify policy differences affecting access to postpartum care for immigrants.
• To inform future research on policy impacts on maternal and child health.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative content analysis of policy documentation from all US states and Washington, DC.
• Legal epidemiology policy mapping to analyze state policies.
• Data collection and analysis conducted between June 2021 and February 2024.

Main Results:

• Significant variation exists in postpartum coverage mechanisms across states.
• 19 states use Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for postpartum care.
• 30 states utilize Medicaid or CHIP via the CHIP Reauthorization Act Section 214; 7 states use state-only funds.
• Wide variation observed in financial eligibility, covered services, and coverage duration.

Conclusions:

• Substantial state-level disparities exist in immigrant access to postpartum public health insurance.
• Further research is crucial to link state policies with maternal and child health outcomes.
• Understanding policy variations is key to addressing immigrant maternal health disparities.