United States Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey introduced legislation today which aims to expand Medicaid coverage for pregnant and postpartum mothers in an effort to reduce maternal deaths and improve access to care.

The Maximizing Outcomes for Moms through Medicaid Improvement and Enhancement of Services, or MOMMIES Act, would broaden Medicaid benefits for millions of pregnant and postpartum patients across the country.

“It is unacceptable that, year after year, more mothers continue to die as a result of our nation’s inequitable and failing health care system — especially women of color,” Booker said in a statement. “The MOMMIES Act is a critical step toward building an equitable, high-quality maternal health care system that protects every mother in America.”

The legislation would require states to provide a full year of Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage following pregnancy, extending the current federal minimum of 60 days. Several states, including New Jersey, have already adopted 12-month postpartum Medicaid coverage through existing federal options.

In Lakewood, 1,818 of the 5,359 babies born in 2025, or 34% of all births in the township, were covered by Medicaid.

The bill would also require comprehensive Medicaid benefits for pregnant and postpartum enrollees, rather than pregnancy-related coverage that varies by state.

Additional provisions would require Medicaid and CHIP to cover dental care during pregnancy and the postpartum period, establish demonstration projects testing coordinated maternity care models in at least 10 states, and increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for primary care providers, obstetricians, gynecologists, midwives and advanced practice clinicians.

The legislation also directs the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to study state coverage of doula services and requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to issue guidance to states seeking to expand access. It further calls for a Government Accountability Office study examining the effectiveness of telehealth services for maternity care.

According to the lawmakers, Medicaid finances nearly half of all births in the United States, but many families continue to face barriers to accessing providers and maintaining coverage after childbirth.

The bill has been referred to the appropriate congressional committees for consideration. It would need approval from both the House and Senate before being sent to the president for signature.