How Will the American Rescue Plan Strengthen the Prenatal-to-3 System of Care? A Summary of the 2021 Act’s Benefits for Infants and Toddlers

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 invests unprecedented amounts of funding in the prenatal-to-3 period. As a result of this investment, states will have more support and choices to effectively build a comprehensive and equitable prenatal-to-3 system of care. The new law includes a number of provisions critical to supporting individuals and families […]

Advancing Postpartum Coverage in Medicaid: Waiver or SPA? 

The recently enacted American Rescue Plan Act has many new opportunities and important provisions that we are still absorbing and unpacking. One key change, as readers of SayAhh! know, is the new state option to provide 12 months of postpartum Medicaid and CHIP coverage to women after the end of their pregnancy, well beyond the […]

Wolf administration promotes free ​testing for lead in drinking water for schools and child care programs 

All schools and child care programs in Pennsylvania have been advised of the Voluntary Lead in Child Care and School Drinking Water Testing Program, which will provide $1.74 million from a federal grant for testing lead in drinking water.

Kaiser Family Foundation and Georgetown CCF Release 50-State Survey on Medicaid and CHIP Eligibility and Enrollment

The 2021 Annual 50-State Survey on Medicaid and CHIP Eligibility and Enrollment conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) and CCF is now available. As in previous years, the report confirms eligibility levels for children, pregnant women, parents and expansion adults.

House-Passed American Rescue Plan Act Would Spur Medicaid Expansion and Promote Maternal Health 

On February 27, the House passed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (H.R. 1319), its COVID-19 relief reconciliation bill.  The bill includes a number of provisions strengthening Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), including provisions that would encourage states to finally take up the Medicaid expansion and allow states to provide longer […]

Medicaid and CHIP Coverage for Pregnant Women: Federal Requirements, State Options 

Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) are key supports for pregnant women and new mothers, as well as their children in the critical early years of life. Medicaid pays for nearly half of all births in the United States, including a greater share of births in rural areas, among young women, and women […]