Is Maternity Coverage Available through the ACA? The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has officially gone into effect, but there is still a lot of confusion about everything that it covers. There are a lot of people saying different things about health coverage with the ACA, and it can be more than a little concerning when looking for maternity coverage for women. When it comes down to it, there are some things that you will want to know if you are, might be, or are hoping to become pregnant.
Getting Insurance The first and most important thing to realize is that now you can get coverage even if you’re currently pregnant or have a pre-existing condition. It used to be next to impossible to do this. But under the new health care law, you can get insurance to help you cover the costs of care despite being pregnant. This also means that you can get coverage even if you have a pre-existing condition.
Choosing a Doctor With most insurance policies, there was a set list of what doctors would accept any given insurance plan. This was also true when a woman wanted to find an ob-gyn for care before, during and after pregnancy. It could be quite frustrating when friends would constantly recommend doctors that didn’t accept your insurance policy. Or, maybe your insurance had changed between pregnancies, and you couldn’t go to the same doctor again. Under the new law, these aren’t issues anymore. You now have far more choices as to your doctor no matter what insurance you have.
Visits and Counseling Like with any insurance plans, the ACA plans cover pre-pregnancy, prenatal and postnatal visits. These are basic, and vital to your health and the health of your baby. But also covered are screenings and counseling for alcohol misuse help with quitting tobacco. Help with these issues can go a long way not only with the health of your baby, but with your own, as well.
Screenings Another vital part of prenatal care is the variety of screenings you need in order to make sure your baby can get off to the best start in life. Some of the most common ones are to test for Rh incompatibility, iron deficiency anemia and infections. In addition, doctors can check you for gestational diabetes, which can have a severe effect on your child’s health if left untreated.
Breastfeeding Support, Supplies and Counseling If you choose to breastfeed your child, it’s best to get as much support and counseling as possible early on. It isn’t an easy thing to get used to, but the counseling you get from trained providers during and after pregnancy can be immensely valuable to you as you feed your baby. Plans can also help you with pump rental, which is great for new moms when they need to go back to work. The new ACA has already changed a lot of things, and most people are having a hard time finding out what health coverage is available to them. For women who are or may be pregnant—even those just hoping to become pregnant— maternity coverage for women can be even harder. But it doesn’t have to be. Photo Credit: Alex Proimos, Cascadian Farm