Wisconsin Assembly passes bill to expand Medicaid for new moms

State legislators in Wisconsin passed two women’s health bills aimed at safeguarding mothers and upholding the dignity of preborn children. Both bills previously passed the state Senate and are now awaiting the signature of Gov. Tony Evers.

Key Takeaways:

• Senate Bill 23 broadens Medicaid benefits to give women health care coverage for a year after birth instead of 60 days.

• Senate Bill 264, known as Gail's Law, requires insurance coverage to include breast screenings for high-risk women.

• Funding for both bills cannot go to providers that commit abortions, like Planned Parenthood.

• Both bills had previously passed the state Senate.

The Details:

The Wisconsin State Assembly passed two measures on February 19: Senate Bill 23 and Senate Bill 264. Senate Bill 23, which passed the state Senate in April 2025, expands Medicaid benefits for women from 60 days post birth to a full year, and Senate Bill 264, known as Gail’s Law, mandates end-to-end insurance coverage for additional breast screenings for women with dense breast tissue or other heightened risk factors. Funding from the bills can not be given to abortion businesses such as Planned Parenthood.

Advocates contended that the bills take a practical, compassionate approach by redirecting women’s health funding toward providers that do not offer abortions and by strengthening support structures for women. They hailed the package as a concrete rebuttal of pro-abortion naysayers who falsely allege that pro-lifers care only about babies before birth.

In remarks cited by WSAW, State Rep. Amanda Nedweski, R-Pleasant Prairie, said, “Gail’s Law takes important steps that will help children keep their moms.”

State Rep. Lisa Subeck (D-Madison) echoed Nedweski’s comments, saying, “We’ve come a long way. Let’s do the right things for moms and babies and keep building on this progress.” 

Similarly, state Rep. Ann Roe (D-Janesville) said that “today marked a huge victory for Wisconsin women’s and children’s health.” 

Zoom In:

Currently, Medicaid covers a baby for a full 12 months after birth. "Senate Bill 23 simply extends mom’s coverage to 12 months after birth to match her baby’s length of coverage,” Pro-Life Wisconsin said.

“Senate Bill 23 is especially beneficial to mothers facing crisis pregnancies,” Matt Sande, legislative director for Pro-Life Wisconsin, said in a statement. "Providing comprehensive pre- and post-natal medical coverage for both mom and baby, from conception to one year after birth, will encourage mothers to choose life for their preborn children. Knowing the Medicaid program will provide affordable, optimal, and prolonged care for her and her child, before and after birth, will help empower vulnerable moms to overcome the abortion temptation in challenging circumstances.”

Senate Bill 264 “requires health insurance policies to provide coverage for diagnostic breast examinations and for supplemental breast screening examinations for an individual who is at increased risk of breast cancer, as determined in accordance with the most recent applicable guidelines of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, or has heterogeneously or extremely dense breast tissue, as defined by the Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System established by the American College of Radiology.”

The bill mandates that the Medical Assistance program — the state-run Medicaid program bankrolled by both state and federal governments — must cover these breast screenings for individuals with limited financial means.

This legislation prohibits health insurance policies from implementing any cost-sharing charges for supplemental or diagnostic breast examinations. However, this restriction on cost-sharing does not apply if it would cause a person to be disqualified for a health savings account under federal tax law.

The Bottom Line:

With the passage of Senate Bill 23, Wisconsin is set to become the second-to-last state to expand Medicaid coverage for new moms, leaving Arkansas as the lone state that has yet to do so.