Health Insurance for Pregnancy

Health Insurance for Pregnancy and Pregnant Women

You would definitely feel disturbed to note that a whopping forty one million Americans are without any kind of health insurance.  This puts their lives in great risk.  Even among those who are insured, the health insurance amount is not sufficient to cover major illnesses.  It is also quite alarming to know that a good thirteen percent of the women who get pregnant are without insurance.  This is simply because they are not able to afford it.  This definitely puts the lives of both the mother and new born baby at great risk.

As you know, it is every woman’s dream to become a mother and their joy knows no bounds when they come to know that they are pregnant.  But, the high medical costs of pregnancy can dampen their spirits and cause a lot of worry.  For a normal pregnancy, the cost of delivery ranges anywhere between six thousand dollars to eight thousand dollars.  This cost can steeply increase if it is a complicated pregnancy case.

One of the major drawbacks faced by pregnant women is that many health insurance companies treat pregnancy as a pre-existing condition.  If a pregnant woman plans to opt for a health insurance, she is denied one. But, you do not have to despair.  Medicaid, a program for the low income groups, which is funded by the federal readily, provides health insurance to women who are already pregnant.  Those who fail to get covered even under the Medicaid will find it very difficult to pay for all the delivery charges and prenatal visits.

Definitely, Medicaid is one of the best programs funded by the government.  You may also enquire for other state sponsored health programs by visiting your state health department.  There is one more wonderful federal sponsored program by the name WIC which provides health insurance to women in the low income group and to all the children and infants who are below the age of five.  WIC also provides information on healthy living and eating to pregnant mothers, supplies nutritious foods, provides proper medicines and supplements and advises on all aspects of pregnancy.

There are also plenty of other discount programs related to health care.  One of the leading discount programs which are available in all the states except Alaska is the AmeriPlan.  This wonderful plan helps you to save up to a good fifty percent on your health expenses.  The various benefits covered under the plan are medical tests, x-rays, lab work, hospital expenses and physician charges.  This plan is not an insurance scheme and therefore, there is no worry about any pre-medical or pre-existing condition.  One of the major advantages of this plan are there are no annual limits, no forms for claims, no long period of waiting and no deductibles. This definitely is a very good plan simply because it makes life so comfortable.  You have options and you need to choose the best one.

Medical care during your pregnancy

Unlike many other Western countries, there is no health insurance in the US which is free of charge.  The vast majority of people receive health insurance coverage through their working place; this option is the cheapest one in most cases.  If you work from home, you are unemployed or self-employed - you have to care for your health coverage yourself, and it is costly!  These facts create a situation in which many pregnant women and children don't have medical insurance.  

To offer women and children free medical care, different organizations have free community clinics and local health departments. In addition, there are different options to receive assistance with access to health service from government programs called WIC.  These programs concentrate on assistance with food and nutritional counseling, but also offer advice regarding medical care.  There are terms of eligibility you must meet.  You can read more about this on: http://www.fns.usda.gov/fncs.   

Your local or state health department, as well as social workers and medical personnel, can offer information on health insurance and medical care and may be able to explain the eligibility requirement of the WIC or other possible programs.  Remember, the more you find out about the subject, the most likely you are to receive the best medical care available without private health insurance.