What can you do if you’re pregnant and don’t have health insurance?
We get this question a lot. Or what if you have an individual health insurance policy that doesn’t cover maternity?
The short answer is “Yes!”
But if you’re pregnant right now, a lot depends on something you can’t control:
When are you due?
If your baby is likely to be born in 2014 we have good news. You can get one of the new “qualified” health insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) and your labor and delivery will be covered. They cannot decline your application even though you’re pregnant, and they cannot exclude pre-existing conditions.
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What should you do?
We’ll want to get you enrolled in one of the new plans. You’ll need to do so before the open enrollment period ends, but we’d suggest doing it sooner than later in case there are technical problems like those going on as the new “marketplace” opens.
You don’t have to utilize the government’s health insurance marketplace. You can get the same plans (and more, actually) from a private health insurance marketplace (like we’ve always done). But if your income qualifies you for premium tax credits (subsidies that lower your premium), those are only available through the government marketplace.
Either way, we can help you at no additional cost.
You will still have out-of-pocket costs on the new plans, so begin putting aside some money now to fund your portion of the payments. I hate to tell you this, but it is likely to be several thousand dollars.
So start saving now, but know that most hospitals will work with you on an interest-free payment plan.
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What if you deliver in 2013?
Well you won’t be able to get insurance, but you probably already know that. The advice we wrote here still holds true. After delivery, be sure you add your baby to your health plan (if you have one) within 30 days. If you don’t have a plan, contact us to set one up for January 1.