Bill to permit pregnancy to count toward Medicaid entry fails

A bill that would have established pregnancy as an automatic entry for Medicaid enrollment was among the 1,439 bills that failed to pass during the 2025 General Assembly session.

The bill, HB2102, was sponsored by Del. Michael B. Feggans, D-Virginia Beach. At least 29 states and the District of Columbia have adopted presumptive eligibility for pregnant people. 

According to a study published by the National Library of Medicine, “Without presumptive eligibility policies in place, it can take up to 45 days for Medicaid programs to process applications, five of which can make it difficult for uninsured pregnant people to receive timely prenatal care.” 

This data is particularly relevant in states where preconception uninsured levels are high. In Virginia, 35.3% of pregnant women had Medicaid at birth in 2023.  

Bills similar to HB2102 have been introduced and passed in other state legislatures, including Alabama, Mississippi and Arkansas, southern states with historically high maternal and infant mortality rates.  

Among being celebrated as a bridge to increasing delivery health outcomes in the state, the bill was praised by Alabama Republicans as a “pro-life” measure, an attribute that was also attached to HB2102. 

Olivia Gans Turner, the president of the Virginia Society for Human Life, an anti-abortion non-profit organization, spoke in support of the bill during public testimony. 

“We do believe strongly that we are at a crossroads, and we need to find whatever avenues we can to expand our ability as a Commonwealth to help mothers help their children and strengthen our society,” Turner said. 

Presumptive eligibility for pregnant people has also been linked to Black maternal health as Medicaid pays for more than 40% of U.S. births and 65% of births to Black mothers, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. 

According to the CBPP, “If people in the coverage gap become pregnant, they become eligible for Medicaid. But necessary preconception care is likely unavailable and being uninsured before pregnancy is associated with a higher prevalence of risk factors that contribute to poor pregnancy outcomes, especially for Black women.” 

Chlo’e Edwards, policy director at New Virginia Majority, testified about these statistics, stating that presumptive eligibility could potentially close the Medicaid coverage gap and subsequently improve the lives of both mothers and babies. 

Despite HB2102 failing to pass, several other bills addressing maternal health have moved forward and now await Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s decision.