Study: Medicaid reimbursement results in more PPD diagnoses

Medicaid reimbursement was linked to more billed postpartum depression screens and a greater likelihood of the mother getting diagnosed and treated, according to a cohort study of nearly 137,900 births in Colorado. The authors of the study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, found Medicaid reimbursement for maternal depression screening during well-child visits was associated with a 9.6% increase in the likelihood of billed depression screens and 18 additional depression screenings per 100 births during those visits compared with commercially insured births. The authors note that while providing insurance reimbursement for PPD screenings during well-child visits is a promising strategy, policymakers also may need to address barriers to conducting screenings and referrals in pediatric settings and enabling mothers to access postpartum mental health treatment. (MedPage Today article, 6/30/25)