On December 7, 2021, Vice President Kamala Harris hosted a Summit at the White House to mark the first-ever federal Maternal Health Day of Action. The Vice President issued a nationwide Call to Action to both the public and private sector to help improve maternal health outcomes in the United States.
As part of the Call to Action, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a report last year estimating that 720,000 more people would gain Medicaid postpartum coverage if states act, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposes establishment of a hospital designation for participation for quality improvement and issues guidance to states on how to provide Medicaid coverage for a full year postpartum as part of the American Recovery Act. A White House Fact Sheet summarizing the executive actions can be found here.