Missouri Lawmakers have voted to help new mothers struggling with addiction pay for treatment programs.
The bill, approved by the House Friday in a 133-6 vote, would allow women to receive Medicaid coverage for more than a year after giving birth to pay for substance abuse and mental health programs.
Currently, Medicaid coverage ends about two months after a woman gives birth.
If the proposal is approved by the governor, Missouri will need a waiver from the federal government to enact the extension. Missouri's waiver would be the first request of its kind, and a notable expansion for a state that didn't expand Medicaid after the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010.