Figure 2. Pregnant woman vs parent Medicaid eligibility in 50 states and the District of Columbia.
For states with Medicaid expansion, women are eligible for Medicaid if their income falls below 138% of the federal poverty level (FPL). For states without Medicaid expansion, such as Alabama, Missouri (recently passed), Tennessee, and Texas, eligibility is significantly more restrictive, falling as low as 17% to 21% of the FPL. During pregnancy, Medicaid eligibility is expanded such that even those states with Medicaid expansion have much broader income eligibility criteria, as high as 380% the FPL. Although nonexpansion states will see the greatest number of women benefit, even women in expansion states will see benefit from extension of postpartum Medicaid.