JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Postpartum Medicaid services for new mothers have been extended to a full year.

After Governor Tate Reeves (R-Miss.) put his support behind extending postpartum Medicaid care, the medical community was ecstatic.

Mississippi was one of the last states in the country to pass a year-long extension for mothers and their children.

As Dr. Timothy Quinn explains, extending these benefits will not only help mother’s physically, but also mentally.

“Having a baby is a very stressful time, especially for mothers who might have a compromised socioeconomic status who had to have Medicaid when they were pregnant. They have increased risk factors for postpartum depression. It’s so important that these ladies especially have health insurance so they can freely follow up with their medical providers and seek medical care because postpartum depression is a real diagnosis. That’s why this decision to extend health insurance is so good for not only the mothers, but the newborn babies so that they can get the care that they deserve, so that they can grow up and be successful,” said Quinn.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 60% of births in Mississippi are financed through Medicaid.