Under federal law, if a mother is enrolled in Medicaid insurance when she delivers her baby, her newborn is eligible and must be automatically enrolled in Medicaid at birth and through the first full year of life.
However, many newborn babies are falling through the cracks and not getting timely health coverage. As a result, many newborns are missing out on the health care they need.
To address this challenge, Senate Bill 2728 and House Bill 3940 would require HHSC to annually notify medical providers, hospitals, birthing centers, and managed care organizations that if a newborn who should be auto-enrolled in Medicaid has not been assigned an ID number yet, they may use the mother’s Medicaid number for reimbursement during health appointments. The bills also require HHSC to provide parents of newborns with additional information in resource pamphlets that are already provided during hospital discharge. The information will address eligibility and the process for applying for Medicaid for their child and how to use the mother’s ID for coverage.
