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Is Your State Leaving Money on the Table? How CHIP Health Service Initiatives Can Help States Support Children’s Access to Care

At a time when states are facing growing fiscal pressures and increasing strain on health systems, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Health Services Initiatives (HSIs) represent an often overlooked source of federal funding offering flexible financing to support outreach and targeted health initiatives to improve children’s health. This source of federally-matched funding becomes increasingly…

March 25, 2026

By

Yuliya Yafimenka

,

Nancy Kaneb

and

Tricia Brooks

Blog

Maternal and Infant Health in State Rural Health Transformation Proposals Set Promising Priorities in an Uncertain Landscape

All 50 states applied for CMS’ Rural Health Transformation (RHT) program, a $50 billion fund borne from a need to reassure members of Congress during the final debate over H.R. 1 that Medicaid cuts would not decimate their states’ rural health systems. As previous blogs have detailed, the RHT program presents a unique opportunity for…

March 20, 2026

By

and

Nancy Kaneb

Blog

Prenatal Care: The Silent Maternal Health Emergency Hidden in New CDC Data

A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers a look at concerning new trends in prenatal care access. From 2021-2024, prenatal care initiated during the first trimester of pregnancy declined, while those receiving care later or no prenatal care increased, as shown below. The share of pregnant women who received…

March 10, 2026

By

and

Aubrianna Osorio

Blog

Wisconsin Passes 12-Month Postpartum Medicaid Extension, Leaving Arkansas as the Last State Without It

About a third of maternal deaths occur between one week and one year postpartum. The American Rescue Plan Act provided states with the option to extend postpartum Medicaid and CHIP coverage from 60 days to 12 months and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 20223 made this option permanent. From 2021 to 2025, 48 states and…

February 27, 2026

By

Blog

FY26 Appropriations Act Funds Maternal Health Initiatives, Falls Short of Investments Needed to Address Maternal and Infant Mortality Crisis

On February 3, Congress passed and the President signed into law H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which includes funding levels for the Federal Fiscal Year 2026 (FFY26) Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS). These funding levels will continue through September 30, 2026. The appropriations measure provides critical funding for key…

February 13, 2026

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and

Blog

State Title V Programs Should Invest More in Maternal and Infant Health and Wellbeing

A recently released report, The Role of the Title V MCH Services Block Grant in Improving Maternal and Infant Health, examines the fiscal investments for pregnant women and infants made by Title V Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Services Block Grant programs in the 59 states and territories. Co-authored by Arden Handler, myself, and Nautica…

January 28, 2026

By

Blog

Maternal Health Field Lost a Courageous Leader Due to Complications of Childbirth

On January 1, 2026, Dr. Janell Green Smith of South Carolina died from childbirth complications at 31 years of age. Dr. Green Smith was a nurse-midwife, doctor of nursing practice, adjunct professor, maternal health professional and advocate. Dr. Green Smith developed severe pre-eclampsia during her pregnancy and delivered her daughter via cesarean section in late…

January 16, 2026

By

Blog

HHS Announces Changes to Recommended Vaccine Schedule for Children

Vaccines and immunizations are safe, effective ways to prevent serious illness by teaching the body’s immune system to recognize and defend against harmful germs. For children and adolescents, vaccines are typically given according to the child and adolescent immunization schedule. The schedule shows which vaccines are recommended by age and offers guidance on intervals for…

January 15, 2026

By

Kelly Whitener

and

Hannah Green

Blog

Threats to Maternal and Infant Health Won’t End After Shutdown Resolved

The current federal government shutdown is driven by failure of the Congress to finalize this year’s federal budget appropriations or adopt a Continuing Resolution (CR). The shutdown is already impacting the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Head Start programs and other family supports, as Congress remains in a stand-still over extending ACA marketplace enhanced premium…

November 4, 2025

By

and

Blog

How Can the Rural Health Transformation Fund Help Make Maternal Health Great Again?

The passing of the HR.1 bill has threatened the vitality of rural health in America. To soften the blow, the Trump administration included a $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Fund (RHTF). States are preparing their applications that are due on November 5th. There is a lot to unpack with the RHTF. My colleague Adam Searing…

October 9, 2025

By

Blog

States Should Use Rural Transformation Fund to Focus on Children and Families

At this moment, states are seeking input and putting ideas on paper to develop priorities for their state applications for a piece of the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Fund included in H.R. 1 (with applications due to the federal government by November 5th). Our colleague Adam Searing reminded readers that these funds will by…

September 26, 2025

By

and

Anne Dwyer

Blog

Federal Threats to Maternal and Infant Health Highlighted in Health Affairs

A recent article in Health Affairs Forefront argues that threats to policies, programs, and data systems will substantially set back progress made over the past few years in addressing the maternal and infant mortality. As a group of experts who previously served as federally-appointed members of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)…

September 5, 2025

By

Blog

States’ Maternal Mental Health Efforts Show Improvement as Need for Support Grows, Especially in Rural Areas

The Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health recently released state-by-state maternal mental health report cards that provide a snapshot of state progress addressing maternal mental health. Using measures across three domains—providers and programs, screening, and coverage—these report cards pinpoint areas of opportunity for states to improve maternal mental health. Overall, the report shows modest progress…

July 14, 2025

By

Blog

Worth Repeating: Pregnant Women, Infants, Young Children are NOT Protected in Proposed Medicaid Cuts

Last month, the U.S. House passed the One, Big Beautiful Bill Act with an array of cuts to Medicaid and other critical supports for mothers, infants, and young children. Somehow, as Joan Alker described last week, the Senate version of the bill only made the prospects worse. Research shows that Medicaid coverage of pregnant mothers…

July 1, 2025

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and

Blog

Medicaid: A Lifeline for Women’s Health Across the Lifespan

Medicaid is a critical source of health care for millions of US women, supporting them through every stage of life. Nearly 1 in 5 women aged 19-64 rely on Medicaid or CHIP. The Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansions allowed states to cover all adults up to 138% FPL, covering millions more low-income women regardless of…

June 30, 2025

By

and

Projects

Women Depend on Medicaid Across the Lifespan

Women comprise the majority of the adult Medicaid population, covering 19% of women ages 19-64 compared to 14% of men in 2023. Medicaid and CHIP cover pregnant women at higher income levels than other adults, with a median income eligibility across states of 213% of the federal poverty level (FPL). The Affordable Care Act (ACA)…

June 24, 2025

Blog

The One Big, Beautiful Bill Act will Mean Big Budget Hits for Families

Last month, Congress rushed through the night to pass the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act with last minute changes that would further increase cuts to many federal programs. In the health care sections, the bill primarily targets adults – including many parents and caregivers – who gained health coverage from the Affordable Care Act (ACA)…

June 6, 2025

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