Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) delivered on a year-long promise and signed a bill that extends postpartum Medicaid coverage for mothers in the state, giving them a year of coverage.
In a post on X, Evers shared a video of him signing Senate Bill (SB) 23, also known as 2025 Wisconsin Act 102. In his post, Evers explained that the bill he signed extends postpartum coverage for moms “from a lousy 60 days to one full year after giving birth.”
“I just signed the bill to extend postpartum coverage for Wisconsin moms from a lousy 60 days to one full year after giving birth,” Evers said. “I promised I’d never stop fighting to make sure moms and babies had the postpartum care they need, and today, I delivered on that promise.”
Evers, who “has been a relentless advocate for expanding access to quality, affordable healthcare and improving maternal and infant health,” first brought up the idea of extending Medicaid postpartum coverage “almost seven years ago to the day,” according to a press release.
“Almost seven years ago to the day, I first proposed expanding postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to a full year,” Evers said in a statement. “It was one of the very first things I announced back in 2019 as part of my very first budget, and it’s been in every budget I’ve ever introduced as governor—that’s how long I’ve been fighting to get this done, folks.”
Per the press release, as part of Evers’ “Healthy Meals, Healthy Babies” initiative, the Democrat governor “has proposed expanding postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months for the entirety of his tenure as governor”:
Gov. Evers believes that every Wisconsinite should have access to quality, affordable healthcare, including reproductive healthcare, and the governor has been a champion for addressing and improving maternal and infant health outcomes in Wisconsin. As part of his “Healthy Meals, Healthy Babies” initiative, Gov. Evers has proposed expanding postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months for the entirety of his tenure as governor, including in each of his Executive Budget proposals he has introduced across all seven years of his tenure as governor in 2019, 2021, 2023, and 2025. Following the bill signing, the governor will be traveling across the state, hosting community conversations with local moms, families, and leaders to discuss how the state can continue to address maternal health disparities and ensure that new moms and families have the resources they need to be well.
Evers’ signing of the bill makes Wisconsin the 49th state to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage for moms, according to Wisconsin Public Radio.
Both Democrat and Republican lawmakers praised the bill, explaining that “postpartum Medicaid expansion will prevent preventable deaths” and “give women the health care” they need, according to the outlet.
“Postpartum Medicaid expansion will prevent preventable deaths, give women the health care, including the mental health care that they need as they care for their newborns,” Wisconsin state Rep. Robyn Vining (D) stated during a floor debate last month.
Wisconsin state Rep. Barbara Dittrich (R) also expressed that the “bill just makes sense.”
Several people took to social media to praise Evers for signing the bill, stating that they “support this.”
“Okay I know this guy called mothers ‘inseminated persons’ not long ago, but I actually support this,” women’s sports advocate Riley Gaines wrote in a post on X.
“This is what pro life is supposed to mean btw,” another person wrote in a post.
“This is the news I’m here for,” another person wrote.
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