Medicaid for Pregnant Women
A good majority of women today are afraid of getting pregnant since this can be very expensive. Being pregnant entails a lot of costs which include medical checkups, medicines and vitamins, and strict diets which require certain kinds of food. The expenses during pregnancy are only the start and more will come once the baby gets born. Women always think of the possibility of having to undergo a cesarean section operation. There are also baby items and necessities that need to be bought, baby furniture and house renovations if it will be needed. Childbirth can be very taxing and make a big dent on a family’s savings.
Pregnant women usually contemplate before and during the early stages of their pregnancy if there is any available type of financial help they can avail of. There are many options that pregnant women can select from if ever they do need financial help. The local health department in their town or county would be a good place to start to ask for available opportunities for financial assistance.
Medicaid used to be the only choice for pregnant women that had no health insurance coverage. Mainly intended for the low income bracket of the workforce, a good number of pregnant women discover that their income level is above the limit to be selected for Medicaid assistance. Other options were implemented through the Health Care Reform program, but these also have certain criteria that pregnant women must meet to qualify, just like in Medicaid. Although for pregnant women that really want sufficient coverage to guarantee their and their baby’s health, having one is better than not having anything at all.
The Healthcare Reform Act gives pregnant women who have no insurance a new alternative, and this is the high risk pool. Each state must create a provisional insurance plan for people with pre-existing conditions and have never had any type of insurance for at least six months. This provisional coverage is in effect up to December 31, 2013, when a more permanent option has been projected to be in place.
Unlike Medicaid, high risk pools do not have income limit qualifications. Pregnant women should get in touch with their local state Medicaid office to stay abreast of these income guidelines. Medicaid is their best choice since coverage is in effect instantly if they qualify and prenatal care requirements are included in the program.
The state high risk pool is the next choice for pregnant women who did not qualify for Medicaid benefits. Besides not having any form of insurance in the past 6 months and having a pre-existing condition, they must be a U.S. citizen or legally residing in the United States. Being pregnant is considered as a pre-existing condition.
Each state controls the high risk pool and is subsidized by the federal government. This makes the payments considerably lower than other insurance coverage plans. Majority of states cover maternity and prenatal care, doctor and clinic visits, hospital costs, and some particular infant formulas.
Having an option besides Medicaid is definitely great help for pregnant women, specially if they don’t qualify for Medicaid assistance. They can even get sufficient coverage during the third trimester of pregnancy, which is very significant.
