Presumptive Medicaid eligibility for pregnant women passed overwhelmingly in the Senate on Thursday and now heads to the governor. 

House Bill 539, authored by House Medicaid Chairwoman Missy McGee, R-Hattiesburg, allows pregnant women whose net family income is 194% or less of the federal poverty level to be presumed eligible for Medicaid and receive care before their Medicaid application is officially approved by the Mississippi division of Medicaid. 

The bill does not introduce an additional eligibility category or expand coverage, McGee has explained. Rather, it simply allows pregnant women eligible for Medicaid to get into a doctor’s office earlier. 

READ MORE: House passes bill to allow pregnant women more timely care under Medicaid

Under the bill, pregnant women will be able to receive care under presumed Medicaid eligibility for 60 days after their first doctor’s visit. The hope is that by the end of the 60-day window, they will have submitted their paperwork and been fully determined as eligible for Medicaid – since a regular Medicaid application only takes 45 days to process. 

Presumptive eligibility would cost the state roughly $567,000, compared to the $1 million it can cost the state to care for just one extremely premature baby receiving care in a neonatal intensive care unit – “a minimal investment for a tremendous benefit to women in our state,” McGee said in committee.

Only four Senators voted No on the bill. They were: Angela Hill, R-Picayune; Kathy Chism, R-New Albany; Michael McLendon, R-Hernando and Mike Seymour, R-Vancleave.