All the Medicaid policies and Marketplace health insurance cover pregnancy and childbirth even if you are not pregnant when your health coverage starts. Pregnancy is the qualifying event for a woman to get health insurance because Medicare coverage makes it easier to get checkups and screening tests to help keep her safe and healthy during pregnancy.
Through the open enrollment period or particular enrollment period, you can apply for Marketplace coverage by creating an account. If you are pregnant at that time, report it to the insurance company because it may help you and your family members to get the most affordable coverage.
When you report your pregnancy, you will automatically qualify for free or low-cost coverage through Medicare or the children’s health insurance program. In case you keep your Marketplace coverage, make sure to update the application after the birth of a child and add the baby to the plan or if they qualify, enroll them in coverage through CHIP or Medicaid.
Keep on reading to know more details to get insurance when you get pregnant:
Can You Get Health Insurance Coverage While You are Pregnant?
Pregnancy and maternity care are both essential health benefits women can get under the Affordable Care Act. Pregnancy by itself doesn’t make you a qualifier to sign up for health insurance or make changes outside of the open enrollment period, but there are many other ways where you can get coverage when you are pregnant.
In simple words, pregnancy is a pre-existing condition that can be covered by all Marketplaces plans according to ACA even before coverage started.
Getting an Insurance Plan While You are Pregnant
Getting an insurance plan during pregnancy is possible, as health plans can no longer deny your coverage if you are pregnant.
You can buy your health insurance plans at the Marketplace and, if you are a low-income person, you can also apply for a Medicare health insurance plan in your state. If you are an employer or your spouse is an employer, you will automatically get the most coverage at the best price from the insurance plan offered by an employer.
When your health insurance plans are in the Marketplace, make sure to compare health coverage plans side by side. One of the most important things to do is check that if your income is in the range to allow you for financial help from the government that will lower the cost of your insurance premiums.
By doing this, you can also qualify for lower out-of-pocket costs like copays, coinsurance, and deductibles.
Covered Services by Health Insurance During Pregnancy
Here we have mentioned some of the services often included in all Marketplace plans covering medical care during pregnancy, childbirth, or even after childbirth.
Outpatient services for prenatal and postnatal visits to the hospital to see doctors, lab tests, and medications. This also includes different kinds of screenings such as anemia, hepatitis B, STDs, gestational diabetes, and more are covered.
There are some special medical services offered by coverage plans like tobacco intervention and counseling for pregnant women who are tobacco users and smokers. The other health services included are hospitalization, physician fees, emergency services in labor and delivery, newborn care, and providing breastfeeding equipment such as breast pumps.