Postpartum Medicaid Coverage Disruptions Affect BIPOC at Higher Rate Than White Individuals

Coverage disruptions in the postpartum year were frequent for Medicaid beneficiaries and impacted Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) more than White individuals, leading investigators to conclude more policy efforts are needed to reduce disparities. Researchers published their findings in the Journal of Women’s Health.

“Half of maternal deaths occur during the postpartum year, with data suggesting greater risks among [BIPOC] and rural residents,” investigators said. “Being insured after childbirth improves postpartum health-related outcomes.”

Amid recent extensions in postpartum Medicaid coverage, researchers analyzed data from the 2016-2019 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System to determine the rates at which White and BIPOC were covered at the time of childbirth and postpartum.

Across payer types, rates of continual insurance from childbirth were higher for White people than BIPOC. White people were insured at a rate of 85.3% in urban areas and 75.3% in rural areas, as compared to 65.6% and 60.5% for BIPOC.

Medicaid beneficiaries frequently saw disruptions in coverage at childbirth. Researchers reported that BIPOC in rural areas became uninsured postpartum at a rate of 17.0% compared to 3.4% of White individuals in urban areas.

“Policy efforts to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage may reduce inequities at the intersection of racial/ethnic identity and rural geography,” investigators concluded.

Reference:
Kozhimannil KB, Interrante JD, Ibrahim BB, et al. Racial/ethnic disparities in postpartum health insurance coverage among rural and urban US residents. J Womens Health (Larchmt). Published online August 30, 2022. doi:10.1089/jwh.2022.0169