12-month postpartum Medicaid in Kansas

KanCare has extended postpartum Medicaid coverage from the federal minimum of 60 days to 12 months. The extension took effect 2022-04-01 and was authorized under Section 9812 of the American Rescue Plan Act (2021), which allowed states to make the extension permanent through a State Plan Amendment.

What the extension covers: the same Medicaid benefits you had during pregnancy, primary care, specialty care including cardiology and behavioral health, prescription drugs, dental, vision, and transportation to appointments. Crucially, it covers screening and treatment for the leading causes of late-postpartum death: cardiovascular and cardiomyopathy events (roughly a third of US pregnancy-related deaths), mental-health and substance-use conditions, and infections.

What you need to do to keep coverage: generally nothing during the 12 months, KanCare is required to provide continuous eligibility. At the end of the 12-month window, the state will check whether you still qualify under another Medicaid category (expansion adult, parent, disability-based). If you no longer qualify for Medicaid, you will be referred to the health insurance marketplace for ACA subsidies with a special enrollment period triggered by loss of Medicaid.

Kansas remains a non-expansion state; Governor Laura Kelly's expansion proposals have cleared the state House but stalled in the Senate in every session since 2019. Alliance for a Healthy Kansas has coordinated the expansion campaign.