Postpartum home visitation program narrowed, advanced

A proposal intended to connect postpartum mothers and infants enrolled in Medicaid with in-home support services was amended and advanced from general file Feb. 10.

LB22, as introduced by Lincoln Sen. George Dungan, would implement targeted case management for evidence-based nurse home visiting services for postpartum mothers and infants younger than 3 who are enrolled in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

A Health and Human Services Committee amendment, adopted 43-0, would limit the service to postpartum mothers and infants younger than 6 months who are enrolled in Medicaid. Dungan said narrowing the proposal would better align the bill with the model program it’s based on and would result in a higher federal reimbursement rate.

Under the bill, the state Department of Health and Human Services would be required to submit a state plan amendment to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services by Oct. 1, 2025, to allow nurse home visiting programs to bill Medicaid directly for services provided.

The bill also states legislative intent to use the Medicaid Managed Care Excess Profit Fund for any remaining costs not covered by federal funds.

Dungan said the proposal is modeled after a program operating in Lincoln and Omaha called Family Connects and seeks to expand those services statewide. Implementation of the Family Connects model in other states has led to fewer follow-up visits and resulted in a 400% return on investment, he said.

“[LB22 would] continue to ensure that we’ll have healthy moms and healthy babies while still being financially responsible,” Dungan said.

Lincoln Sen. Carolyn Bosn spoke in support of the bill and committee amendment, emphasizing the value of supporting mothers and newborns during the first weeks of postpartum. The program’s benefits go beyond the financial, she said, and help to set families up for long-term success.

“Having someone who is willing to come to your home [and] provide that support … really does make a difference for those families and the success of the children,” Bosn said. “I think there’s real value in that.”

Sen. Ashlei Spivey of Omaha also spoke in support of LB22 and the committee amendment. She said the postpartum support she received helped her be a present, supportive and healthy parent. Nebraska should prioritize programs that provide a safety net to help other new parents also be successful, Spivey said.

Senators advanced LB22 to select file on a 43-0 vote.