Health insurance during pregnancy (2024)

Health insurance (also called health coverage or a health plan) helps you pay for medical care. Health insurance is really important for you, especially if you’re pregnant.

What health care services are covered for a pregnant woman?

After the Affordable Care Act (also called ACA) passed, health care law requires all insurance plans on the Health Insurance Marketplace (also called Marketplace) or Medicaid to cover many services for pregnant women. The Marketplace is an online resource that helps youfind and compare health plansin your state.These insurance plans cover services for pregnant women including:

  • Allprenatal care visitswith noco-pay. Prenatal care is medical care you get during pregnancy. No co-pay means you don’t have to pay your health care provider each time you go for a prenatal checkup. You can see your prenatal care provider without a referral from a primary care provider (who gives you basic health care). So you don’t have to see your primary care provider first to get an OK to see a prenatal care provider, like an obstetrician/gynecologist (also called OB/GYN), nurse-midwife or nurse practitioner.
  • Labor and birth services
  • Breastfeeding help with no co-pay. This includes visits with a lactation consultant, breastfeeding equipment and breast pumps. A lactation consultant is someone with special training in helping women breastfeed.
  • Birth Control.

Insurance plans in the Marketplace and Medicaid have to cover these services for everyone, including pregnant women:

  • Regular health checkups
  • Checkups when you’re sick
  • Hospital care
  • Emergency services

Health care law says that a plan can’t:

  • Drop your health insurance if you get sick
  • Charge you more for health care services because you’re a woman
  • Charge you more for health care services if you’ve had a medical condition in the past
  • Set a lifetime or annual cap (limit) on coverage. This means that an insurance company can’t stop covering your medical expenses once they reach a certain amount of money. This goes for your partner, too.
  • Make you pay unlimited costsout-of-pocket. Insurance plans have to set yearly limits on what you pay on your own for health care. Once you reach the limit, the company has to pay your expenses through the rest of the year.

If you’re pregnant, how do you know what health insurance to choose?

When you’rechoosing your health plan, look at the plan summary. Each plan has a summary that includes the expected costs of pregnancy care. Every plan uses the same summary form, so it’s easy to compare costs and services. You can find plan summaries in the Health Insurance Marketplace. This is an online resource that helps youfind and compare health plans in your state. If you are working, you may also have health insurance through your employer.Check with your employer to learn about the plan summary and benefits.

Is it OK to be pregnant when you sign up for a health plan?

Yes. You can be pregnant when you sign up for health insurance. If this happens, pregnancy is called a pre-existing condition. This means you had the condition (you were pregnant) before you sign up for health insurance.Under health care law after the ACA, insurance companies can’t deny you coverage or charge you more money to care for pre-existing conditions.

What if you need help paying for health insurance?

In most states, many pregnant women can getMedicaidcoverage. Medicaid is a government program that provides free or low-cost health insurance to people with low income. In some states, pregnant women who earn too much for Medicaid can get health coverage through theChildren’s Health Insurance Program (also called CHIP). CHIP is a government program that provides health insurance to some children and pregnant women in families that earn too much to get Medicaid but can’t afford private insurance.You can apply for Medicaid and CHIP at any time.

Even if you can’t get Medicaid, you may be able to get tax credits that help pay for insurance through your state’s Marketplace. You can get information abouthealth plans and costs for pregnant womenin your state’s Marketplace. Be sure to say you’re pregnant on the Marketplace application so you get pregnancy information.

Last Reviewed: September 2020

Health insurance during pregnancy (2024)

FAQs

What insurance is best for pregnancy? ›

Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna and Kaiser Permanente offer the best health insurance plans for pregnant women. If you have coverage through your employer, your health insurance might be cheaper than buying a plan on your own. Medicaid and CHIP are good choices for low-income pregnant women.

How does insurance work when you get pregnant? ›

Routine prenatal, childbirth, and newborn care services are essential benefits. And all qualified health insurance plans must cover them, even if you were pregnant before your health coverage started.

Is health insurance more expensive if pregnant? ›

Since pregnancy and childbirth bring hefty costs, a lower-deductible PPO plan may be a more affordable option. U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. "Health Benefits & Coverage: Coverage for Pre-existing Conditions." U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Is there free healthcare in Pennsylvania? ›

Free health coverage for low-income Pennsylvanians (Known as Medicaid, ACCESS, or Medical Assistance) Free or low cost health coverage for children under 19 (The Children's Health Insurance Program or CHIP) Healthcare you can purchase on your own. 9 out of 10 people qualify for financial assistance!

What do you get free when pregnant? ›

Free prescriptions and NHS dental care. You are entitled to free NHS prescriptions and NHS dental care (check-ups and treatment) during pregnancy and for 12 months after giving birth. Your child can also have free prescriptions and NHS dental care until they are at least 16 years old.

What if I'm pregnant and need money? ›

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides temporary financial assistance for pregnant women and families with one or more dependent children. TANF provides financial assistance to help pay for food, shelter, utilities, and expenses other than medical.

Can you be denied insurance for being pregnant? ›

If you're pregnant when you apply, an insurance plan can't reject you or charge you more because of your pregnancy. Once you're enrolled, your pregnancy and childbirth are covered from the day your plan starts. A time outside the yearly Open Enrollment Period when you can sign up for health insurance.

Why is pregnancy not covered by insurance? ›

Health insurers consider pregnancy as a pre-existing condition. Therefore, if you buy maternity insurance when pregnant, you cannot benefit from the cover. As most maternity health insurance policies come with a waiting period.

How much does it cost to give birth in the USA without insurance? ›

Average costs of delivering a baby in the US
Baby delivery medical procedures in the USAverage cost - without insurance (USD)
Prenatal ultrasound$200- $300
Birth and delivery in the hospital$3,000 - $37,000
Cesarean section in the hospital$8,000 - $71,000
Home birth and delivery with midwife$1,500 - $5,000
1 more row

What is the cheapest way to have a baby? ›

What is the cheapest way to give birth? The cheapest way to give birth is usually at home. With a home birth, you aren't paying the enormous hospital fees, but there are also more risks involved. Delivering at a birthing center can also be cheaper than a hospital birth.

Will my parents' insurance cover my pregnancy? ›

Pregnancy is only covered if the expectant individual is listed on the health insurance policy as a dependent. If they are not listed as dependent, they will need to purchase their own health insurance policy.

Is epidural covered by insurance? ›

When it comes to an epidural, it's important to make sure that your anesthesiologist is in-network. This way you don't get hit with any unexpected costs. Most general medications will be covered, to some extent, by your insurance. However, some might need a prior authorization.

What happens if I don't have health insurance in PA? ›

Medical Assistance

If you lose your job and health insurance, you and your family may qualify for Medicaid or CHIP. You can enroll in these programs at any time – you don't need to wait for an open enrollment period. You are eligible for these programs based on your expected monthly income.

How much is urgent care without insurance in Pennsylvania? ›

On average, the cost of urgent care in Pennsylvania ranges from $100 to $150.

Is there a penalty for not having health insurance in Pennsylvania? ›

At a federal level and for all states without an individual mandate, there are no longer any tax penalties for citizens without health insurance.

Is PPO or HMO better for pregnancy? ›

Opt for an HMO if one is available in your area.

You can expect to pay the least out-of-pocket money if you choose an HMO, which limits you to specific doctors and hospitals — though you'll typically have to pay a bit more in co-pay ($50 for an HMO vs. $30 for a PPO, for example) for each in-network doctor visit.

Is it better to have HSA or PPO when pregnant? ›

Choose a PPO plan if:

You are expecting a major medical expense such as surgery or the birth of a child. You're willing to pay higher premiums in exchange for the certainty of lower out-of-pocket costs related to specific medical needs.

Is UnitedHealthcare good for pregnancy? ›

UnitedHealthcare offers extra services throughout pregnancy and beyond. State Medicaid health plans include standard benefits. But UnitedHealthcare may also provide extra programs for our female Medicaid members. * Some of these programs help make sure women have a safe and healthy pregnancy.

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