The JONAH Mental Health Task Force will be sending bi-weekly updates on changes to Medicaid and other healthcare-related news, changes, and resources.
This week, we’ll be sharing about postpartum Medicaid expansion and a resource for reduced cost medications.
Postpartum Medicaid Expansion
At the end of last month, the Wisconsin state legislature passed postpartum Medicaid expansion for residents in the state; the bill now heads to Governor Evers’ desk where he is expected to sign the bill into law. When signed into law, low-income mothers will be able to stay on Medicaid for a year after giving birth, up from just 60 days. This expands healthcare access to low-income mothers and can help prevent and treat mental health conditions, including postpartum depression. The law will also work to address racial disparities as black woman have a pregnancy-related mortality rate five times higher than their white counterparts. The bill passes unanimously after years of pressure on the speaker of the Assembly to hold a vote on the bill. Wisconsin joins 48 other states in expanding postpartum Medicaid. Additionally, the state legislature passed a law making it easier to access breast cancer screenings by requiring health insurance companies to cover additional screenings for those at a high-risk of developing breast cancer. Learn more about the bill here.
Reduced Cost Medications
The Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs Company is a resource where prescription medication can be purchased online with a reduced cost of up to 80%. While this resource can be beneficial to all, it can be especially beneficial to individuals without health insurance or those with high deductibles. CostPlus Drugs carries over 2,000 medications for health conditions from mental health to migraines to MS. Transparent pricing, shows the exact breakdown of the price for each medication that is sold. Scan the QR code on the graphic below to access this resource. Please share this with anyone you know who might benefit from this option.
That’s all for this week! Stay tuned for more healthcare related updates and resources.
JONAH’s Mental Health Task Force