Wisconsin Lawmakers Approve Expanded Medicaid Coverage for Mothers

Women in Wisconsin are set to benefit from expanded Medicaid coverage for up to a year after giving birth, following the near-unanimous passage of a measure by the Wisconsin Assembly last week. This move positions Arkansas as the only state yet to expand such benefits.

For years, Wisconsin Democrats, along with many Republicans, have advocated for the expansion of Medicaid coverage for new mothers. Their efforts were often thwarted by Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who previously opposed expanding welfare programs. However, he has now relented, allowing this significant change to move forward.

In addition to the Medicaid expansion, the Assembly also passed another bill with bipartisan support, mandating insurance coverage for additional cancer screenings for women with dense breast tissue. The Medicaid bill itself passed with an impressive 95-1 vote.

Both measures have already received overwhelming support in the state Senate, and they are now headed to Democratic Governor Tony Evers, who is expected to sign them into law next week. Once enacted, Arkansas will be the only state without expanded Medicaid coverage for new mothers.

Wisconsin, which has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the nation, did implement significant maternal healthcare legislation last year. Pregnant women can now temporarily receive Medicaid coverage while their eligibility is being processed, and Medicaid also covers doula services and remote monitoring of vital signs. However, the legislation did not extend postpartum Medicaid coverage, disappointing both Democrats and some Republicans.

Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, a Republican, initially called for the maternal health package but opposed the postpartum extension, suggesting that other coverage options were available.

The recent Medicaid expansion and breast cancer screening bills have broken a legislative logjam amid a flurry of last-minute negotiations as the two-year legislative session comes to a close. Republicans and Governor Evers have been working to negotiate a package that includes tax cuts, school spending, and other measures, utilizing the state’s estimated $2.5 billion budget surplus.

Democratic Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer played a pivotal role in pushing for the passage of the Medicaid and breast cancer screening bills. She announced her own pregnancy and shared that her mother had battled breast cancer, emphasizing that Democrats would “stop at nothing to get a vote on these bills.” Neubauer hailed the expected passage of both measures as “an incredible win for women and the people of Wisconsin.”

Republican lawmakers, including Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, also shared personal stories about loved ones affected by breast cancer, further galvanizing support for the screening bill.

The Medicaid expansion will allow low-income mothers earning above the poverty level to remain on the state’s Medicaid program for a full year after giving birth, a significant increase from the current two-month coverage.

Despite the agreement on these measures, several other high-profile bills are likely to falter as the session concludes. Republicans have yet to agree on funding to keep WisconsinEye, a nonprofit state version of CSPAN, operational. Additionally, the state’s nearly 40-year-old land conservation program faces potential extinction, as lawmakers have not reached a consensus on funding beyond June 30. Republicans have long argued that the program is too costly and removes too much land from property tax rolls, adversely affecting municipalities. Bills aimed at sustaining the program, albeit with significantly reduced funding, have yet to pass.

Associated Press writers Todd Richmond in Madison, Wisconsin, and Isabella Volmert in Lansing, Michigan, contributed to this report.

Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Legislation

Women in Wisconsin are set to benefit from expanded Medicaid coverage for up to a year after giving birth, following the near-unanimous passage of a measure by the Wisconsin Assembly last week. This move positions Arkansas as the only state yet to expand such benefits.

For years, Wisconsin Democrats, along with many Republicans, have advocated for the expansion of Medicaid coverage for new mothers. Their efforts were often thwarted by Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who previously opposed expanding welfare programs. However, he has now relented, allowing this significant change to move forward.

In addition to the Medicaid expansion, the Assembly also passed another bill with bipartisan support, mandating insurance coverage for additional cancer screenings for women with dense breast tissue. The Medicaid bill itself passed with an impressive 95-1 vote.

Both measures have already received overwhelming support in the state Senate, and they are now headed to Democratic Governor Tony Evers, who is expected to sign them into law next week. Once enacted, Arkansas will be the only state without expanded Medicaid coverage for new mothers.

Wisconsin, which has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the nation, did implement significant maternal healthcare legislation last year. Pregnant women can now temporarily receive Medicaid coverage while their eligibility is being processed, and Medicaid also covers doula services and remote monitoring of vital signs. However, the legislation did not extend postpartum Medicaid coverage, disappointing both Democrats and some Republicans.

Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, a Republican, initially called for the maternal health package but opposed the postpartum extension, suggesting that other coverage options were available.

The recent Medicaid expansion and breast cancer screening bills have broken a legislative logjam amid a flurry of last-minute negotiations as the two-year legislative session comes to a close. Republicans and Governor Evers have been working to negotiate a package that includes tax cuts, school spending, and other measures, utilizing the state’s estimated $2.5 billion budget surplus.

Democratic Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer played a pivotal role in pushing for the passage of the Medicaid and breast cancer screening bills. She announced her own pregnancy and shared that her mother had battled breast cancer, emphasizing that Democrats would “stop at nothing to get a vote on these bills.” Neubauer hailed the expected passage of both measures as “an incredible win for women and the people of Wisconsin.”

Republican lawmakers, including Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, also shared personal stories about loved ones affected by breast cancer, further galvanizing support for the screening bill.

The Medicaid expansion will allow low-income mothers earning above the poverty level to remain on the state’s Medicaid program for a full year after giving birth, a significant increase from the current two-month coverage.

Despite the agreement on these measures, several other high-profile bills are likely to falter as the session concludes. Republicans have yet to agree on funding to keep WisconsinEye, a nonprofit state version of CSPAN, operational. Additionally, the state’s nearly 40-year-old land conservation program faces potential extinction, as lawmakers have not reached a consensus on funding beyond June 30. Republicans have long argued that the program is too costly and removes too much land from property tax rolls, adversely affecting municipalities. Bills aimed at sustaining the program, albeit with significantly reduced funding, have yet to pass.

Associated Press writers Todd Richmond in Madison, Wisconsin, and Isabella Volmert in Lansing, Michigan, contributed to this report.

Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Topics
Legislation