SoonerCare Postpartum Coverage Extends From 60 Days To 12 Months

New mothers under SoonerCare will get a full year of postpartum coverage instead of the current 60 days.

The income threshold for women who can receive these benefits was also raised.

Kevin Stitt said one in five women are uninsured, and this will make sure women have access to better long-term healthcare.

"This 12 month period is really critical to the health of the mom and the baby, one-third of maternal deaths occur within that first year of childbirth," Governor Kevin Stitt said.

The income threshold will also be increased from 138 percent of the poverty level to 205 percent, meaning more women in the state can get the benefits.

This will help cover routine visits, lactation consultations, and resources to help with postpartum depression and anxiety.

"More than half of these deaths are preventable, and often related to chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, mental illness, and substance abuse and misuse," said Kevin Corbett with Oklahoma Health Care Authority.

Governor Stitt said he wants Oklahoma to be the most pro-family state in the nation and this helps that become a reality.

"There's no better place to start creating a more pro-family culture than right from the beginning, with new mothers and their babies," he said.

Oklahoma joined 29 other states in extending postpartum coverage.