Are You Pregnant With No Insurance? Health Care Reform May Help

For years Medicaid was the only option for women who became pregnant but had no health insurance coverage. Medicaid is designed for low-income workers, so many women find that their income is too high to qualify for this benefit. Health care reform has created another option, but like Medicaid it's not for everyone. But when you need adequate coverage to ensure the health of you and your baby, something is better than nothing.

With passage of the Healthcare Reform Act pregnant women without insurance have a new option: the high risk pool. The act calls for each state to set up a temporary insurance plan for people with pre-existing conditions who have been uninsured for at least six months. The plans will remain in place until December 31, 2013, when a new more permanent option will become available.

These high risk pools do not come with income limits as does Medicaid. Medicaid has income qualifications for categorically and medically needy groups. Contact your local state office for income guidelines. If you can qualify, Medicaid is your best option as it begins coverage almost immediately and will cover your prenatal care needs.

For those who do not meet the Medicaid income guidelines your state high risk pool is a new option. You must be a U.S. citizen or national or lawfully present in the United States, and you must have been without any creditable coverage for at least 6 months, and you must have a pre-existing condition. Your pregnancy is a pre-existing condition.

In most states your office visits, prenatal and maternity care, hospital care, and some certain infant formulas will be covered. This plan is administered by each state, but the plan is federally subsidized so the premium costs may be lower than what you might find elsewhere where pre-existing conditions preclude you from getting coverage.

The drawback to this plan is the six month without creditable coverage requirement. You and your baby need care right from the beginning. But if you are locked out of individual coverage because of your pre-existing condition, and earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, you can at least get adequate coverage during the most critical stage of your pregnancy: your last trimester.