CHICAGO - In honor of Maternal Health Awareness Day, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) and Innovations to ImPROve Maternal OuTcomEs in Illinois (I PROMOTE- IL) are raising awareness about the expansion of Illinois Medicaid coverage through 12 months postpartum. The campaign, supported by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS), “Nurturing You for a Healthy Tomorrow,” aims to inform eligible residents in Chicagoland and across the state about the coverage Medicaid provides for health care before, during, and in the crucial period after pregnancy.

Being pregnant and experiencing childbirth can lead to significant health challenges during not only the pregnancy, but up to one year postpartum. Through this campaign, CDPH and I-PROMOTE are working to highlight the importance of both prenatal and postpartum care. Many people are not aware that the well-known '6-week check-up' is no longer best practice- care should start within the first 3 weeks postpartum, and the birthing person should be seen again within 12 weeks postpartum. Illinois Medicaid covers additional care through 12 months postpartum. By highlighting this expanded coverage, the campaign aims to support the overall well-being of families and promote healthy outcomes.

“At CDPH, we aim to educate and inform qualifying residents of the full context of coverage that is available to them through Medicaid,” said CDPH Commissioner Dr. Olusimbo 'Simbo' Ige, MD, MS, MPH. “We are working closely with I-PROMOTE, HFS, and our community partners to raise awareness and ensure that residents have access to adequate care during a critical time in their lives.”

The campaign's website, https://chicago.gov/nurtureyou, connects people to Medicaid enrollment, as well as resources and information including urgent maternal health warning signs to look out for during pregnancy and postpartum. This website also provides information on enrolling in the HFS Family Planning Program, which covers sexual and reproductive health services for non-pregnant people of all genders and ages at no cost.

“We at HFS are thrilled to support this campaign, which is centered around making sure Illinois residents are aware of their healthcare coverage options as they make their own decisions about the future of their families,” said HFS Director Elizabeth Whitehorn. “In addition to 12 months of postpartum coverage for Medicaid patients, Illinois Medicaid has a Family Planning program that covers all FDA-approved forms of birth control, screening mammograms, sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment and other care options.”

This campaign is also supported by IDPH and aligns with its goals of reducing maternal and infant morbidity and mortality:

“Maternal health doesn't stop after birth, and Illinois can be proud our state's Medicaid program was the first in the nation to extend coverage for 12 months after pregnancy,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “IDPH is actively partnering with CDPH and our state partners to help raise awareness of the Postpartum Medicaid Extension through the Nurturing You campaign. The State of Illinois's Healthy Illinois 2028 plan has maternal and infant health as one of our key priority areas, and this extension of Medicaid coverage through one year after delivery promises to bring measurable improvements in the health of postpartum Illinoisans and their families.”

CDPH and I-PROMOTE-IL are committed to promoting access to health care and Medicaid coverage before, during, and after pregnancy for qualifying individuals. Additional information on how to access Medicaid coverage and additional information about health care and issues related to pregnancy and postpartum can be found at nurtureyou-illinois.org.

###