Hey there, folks. Governor Tony Evers here.
Every March during Women’s History Month, we have the opportunity to celebrate all Wisconsin women and recognize the incredible strides women have made throughout our state’s and our country’s history.
And while I’m jazzed to celebrate our many efforts over the years to build a Wisconsin that works for everyone, there’s plenty more work to do.
So, this week, I was proud to sign into law two important bills to support women’s health and address maternal health outcomes in Wisconsin.
The first is Senate Bill 23, which expands postpartum Medicaid coverage for thousands of new moms from 60 days to one year.
Folks, ask around, any mom will tell you that postpartum recovery takes a heck of a lot longer than 60 days.
That’s why expanding postpartum coverage was one of the very first things I proposed in my first biennial budget in 2019 as part of our “Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies” initiative.
For years, getting this bill over the finish line was blocked by one legislator, leaving just Wisconsin and Arkansas as the only two states in the nation that couldn’t get this done.
But after years of advocacy and hard work, Wisconsin is leaving Arkansas in the dust and ensuring Wisconsin moms get the care they need when they need it.
And that’s not all! I also signed into law Gail’s Law, which ensures that when additional screenings are needed to assess an individual’s risk of breast cancer, no patient is left behind.
Gail Zeamer was a wife and mother, friend and neighbor, and hers is a story shared by countless women across this state each and every day. The system failed her.
By making these changes, we’re ensuring no woman slips through the cracks because they weren’t able to afford additional tests not covered by insurance.
Now more than ever, we should be working to make healthcare more affordable and more accessible, not making it more expensive and harder for folks to get the care they need.
Thank you, and take care.
