An Act amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code, in public assistance, providing for pregnancy-related and postpartum medical assistance.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Anthony Bellmon and 21 co-sponsors

Extends Pennsylvania Medicaid postpartum coverage to 12 months after birth to ensure continuous pregnancy-related and new-mother medical care.

Referred to Human Services

Overview

Bill: HB 1628

Session: 2025-2026

Jurisdiction: Pennsylvania

Topic: Amends the Human Services Code to provide pregnancy-related and postpartum medical assistance

Prime sponsor: Rep. Morgan Cephas

Status: Referred to the House Human Services Committee (Jan. 6, 2026)

Main intent: Safeguard and extend Medicaid/Medical Assistance coverage for pregnancy-related care and extend postpartum coverage.

Key provisions (as indicated by available description)

Amends the act known as the Human Services Code (June 13, 1967) to address public assistance related to pregnancy and postpartum medical services.

Establishes or reinforces criteria, eligibility, and duration for pregnancy-related medical care under public assistance programs.

Focuses on extending postpartum coverage, with explicit reference to a 12-month postpartum period.

Likely alignment with ongoing state policy goals to reduce gaps in coverage after childbirth and to promote maternal health.

Note: The full text would detail exact eligibility, service scope (e.g., inpatient/outpatient, types of services covered), billing, cost-sharing (if any), and administrative mechanisms. The summary below reflects the identified purpose and scope from available materials.

Affected parties and stakeholders

Pregnant individuals and new mothers who rely on Pennsylvania Medical Assistance (Medicaid) for prenatal and postpartum care.

Healthcare providers and clinics serving Medicaid beneficiaries, who would administer and bill for covered services.

State Department of Human Services and related agencies implementing the Human Services Code.

Advocates for maternal health, public health organizations, and policymakers focused on maternal and child health.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Referral: Referred to the House Committee on Human Services on January 6, 2026.

Next steps: Committee review, potential amendments, and eventual floor action and voting. If advanced, the bill would move through the normal legislative process toward enactment.

No specific effective date or funding provisions are provided in the available summary; the full bill text would specify effective dates, funding sources, and transition timelines if applicable.

Potential impact and considerations

Access: Could improve access to continuous prenatal and postpartum care by preserving a full 12 months of Medicaid coverage after birth.

Health outcomes: Longer postpartum coverage is associated with better maternal health monitoring, management of chronic conditions, and access to contraception and family planning services.

Budgetary effects: Extended coverage may affect state Medicaid expenditures; the bill may include funding or connectivity with federal Medicaid waivers or guidelines.

Administrative: May require policy updates, provider education, and system changes to ensure uninterrupted coverage and proper billing codes during the extended postpartum period.

Note

The current materials provide a general description and do not include the full text. For precise provisions (definitions, covered services, eligibility, enrollment processes, cost-sharing, funding, and implementation timeline), the full bill language and fiscal notes should be reviewed once available.

Bill