---
title: O.C.G.A. § 49-4-159. Medicaid coverage for lactation and postpartum care.
collection: code
id: 49-4-159
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 49-4-159 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/49-4-159
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/49-4-159.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/49-4-159/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t49-t50-ch1-12-(v38)-2023-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=60c992b5_0#page=152
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
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publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: SOCIAL SERVICES / PUBLIC ASSISTANCE / MEDICAL ASSISTANCE GENERALLY
---

# O.C.G.A. § 49-4-159. Medicaid coverage for lactation and postpartum care.

(a) The department shall provide Medicaid coverage for:

(1) Lactation care and services, as defined in paragraph (5) of Code Section 43-22A-3, to pregnant and lactating women and to children who are breastfeeding or receiving their mother’s milk; and

(2) Postpartum care for mothers for a period of one year following the date the pregnancy ends.

(b) If necessary to implement the provisions of this Code section, the department shall submit a Medicaid state plan amendment or waiver request to the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

## History

Code 1981, § 49-4-159, enacted by Ga. L. 2020, p. 224, § 1/HB 1114; Ga. L. 2022, p. 759, § 1/SB 338.

The 2022 amendment, effective July 1, 2022, in paragraph (a)(2), substituted “one year” for “six months”, and “pregnancy ends” for “woman gives birth” at the end.

## Cross References

Newborn Baby and Mother Protection Act, § 33-24-58.2.

Lactation Consultant Practice, § 43-22A-1 et seq.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 2020, p. 224, § 2/HB 1114, not codified by the General Assembly, provided that the enactment of this Code section was contingent upon a specific appropriation of funds for purposes of this Act. Funding was appropriated in 2020.

## Law Reviews

For article, “SB 338: Amendments Relating to Medicaid Postpartum Coverage,” see 39 Ga. St. U.L. 281 (2022).