On March 7, 2023, the Mississippi House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 2212 to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage for new mothers to one year after birth, and it now goes to Gov. Tate Reeves to sign into law. Currently, most new mothers lose Medicaid coverage after 60 days, before many fatal or life-altering complications occur. This simple change will save the lives of mothers and improve the health of children at a minimal cost to Mississippi taxpayers.
As Mississippi’s two Catholic bishops, we represent more than 100,000 parishioners across 120 parishes in the dioceses of Jackson and Biloxi. Last Monday, we joined Protestant and Jewish clergy on the steps of St. Peter’s Cathedral in downtown Jackson to call upon state leaders to preserve Medicaid coverage for new mothers for a full year after giving birth.
The Mississippi House passed Senate Bill 2212, which will grant 12 months of postpartum Medicaid coverage, by a 92-7 vote. Republican House Speaker Philip Gunn of Clinton voted against it. Photo courtesy Working Together Mississippi
We stood united as members of Working Together Mississippi, a statewide organization of religious institutions and nonprofits that find common cause to strengthen Mississippi’s families and communities. We have come together from different races, faiths and backgrounds, and our religious traditions and personal beliefs diverge on many issues, including the right to abortion. But we are in complete agreement on the necessity of postpartum health care for new mothers.
‘Protect the Life and Health of Mothers and Children’
In the wake of the Dobbs decision, we feel that Catholic voices are especially important on issues of maternal and child health. Our faith affirms the value of every human life, and we have supported the Legislature’s past actions to protect the lives of unborn children. However, the commitment to life must not end at birth. We believe that access to affordable health care is a fundamental human right, one that is necessary for the flourishing of families and communities.
Through our parishes and the work of Catholic Charities in both of our dioceses, we witness the human suffering that lack of