Running head: PUBLIC COMMENT 1
Public Comment on the Waiver
Name
Institutional Affiliations
PUBLIC COMMENT 2
Public Comment on the Waiver
The waiver to "Extend Coverage for Eligible Pregnant Women to 180 Days Post-Partum"
by the New Jersey state is of excellent and plausible value to the comprehensive family care in
the state. For many years, many states in the US have been giving new mothers postpartum
medical coverage for a maximum of 90 days. This coverage extension request if approved will
see to it that new mothers are given an extra 90 days postpartum medical coverage by
government health covers; Medicaid and Medicare. As a result, new mothers will be covered by
Medicaid and Medicare to be treated on any postpartum related health conditions and disease.
This new adjustment will be of great benefits to new mothers who have been previously forced
to dig deep into their pockets to pay for postpartum health services and consultation 90 days after
delivery.
There has been a common consensus among various stakeholders on the need to offer
quality sustainable care for mothers in the postpartum period. The 90 days limit has not been
sufficient because research shows that 70% of women experience at least one physical problem
within the first 12 months after delivery (during the postpartum period). Further research shows
that 47% of women are likely to experience postpartum health condition after the first three
months (Mayo Clinic, 2019). 25% of the problems are of moderate severity, while another 20%
are of clinical severity and require immediate medical attention. Therefore, Medicaid and
Medicare postpartum coverage limit of up to the first 90 days has not been practical. Many
women are left to pay for the medication of health issues related to delivery or childbearing
complication during the postpartum period. Most women, therefore, face the challenge of not
being able to access quality, timely and adequate medical attention because they cannot afford.
As a result, these women become stressed and depressed because they have to balance between
PUBLIC COMMENT 3
breast-deeding (exclusive or not), taking care of the newborn and paying for costly health care
services to pay for the postpartum related health condition.
This suggested "extension of the Medicaid and Medicare coverage for Eligible Pregnant
Women to 180 Days Post-Partum" will provide the much-needed relief to women to take care of
their children without worries. Any postpartum stress, distress and depression can lead to early
loss of breast milk, thus risking the health and quality of life of the new baby (Lyengar, Yadav &
Sen, 2012). Therefore, this extension will also help improve the wellbeing of babies below six
months in New Jersey. Besides the severity of postpartum health conditions increases, the health
of women deteriorate and limits their performance and functionality at work and home. As a
result of the anxiety resulting from deteriorating health, women may also develop other disorder
and health conditions related to anxiety and depression.
The suggested extension should be approved because it has been long overdue and it has
a significant potential of improving quality of life, health and wellbeing of mothers in the state.
Approving this coverage extension period for eligible pregnant women will allow them to
maintain Medicaid coverage for longer after delivery during which time they are vulnerable to
various diseases, and they are also responsible for valuable helpless children who depend entirely
on the health status, stability and sanity of their mothers. During this period, most mothers
undergo various mental, social, physical and economic changes (Lyengar, Yadav & Sen, 2012).
They also face many challenges which they are always trying to overcome to ensure that their
lives and that of their families and newborn assumes sustainable peace, comfort and stability.
Therefore this extra extension on coverage health for 180 days postpartum will go a long way in
improving access and continuity of care as well as reducing future health care expenditures for
the mother and the baby.
PUBLIC COMMENT 4
References
Lyengar, K., Yadav, R. & Sen, W. (2012). Consequences of Maternal Complications in Women's
Lives in the First Postpartum Year: A Prospective Cohort Study. 2012 Jun; 30(2): 226–
240.doi: 10.3329/jhpn.v30i2.11318
Mayo Clinic. (2019). Labour and delivery, postpartum care: Postpartum complications: What
you need to know. Healthy Lifestyle. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/labor-
and-delivery/in-depth/postpartum-complications/art-20446702
