How to Get Insurance When You're Pregnant

Are You Pregnant Without Health Insurance?

Millions of Americans lack medical insurance today. Many people do have a health plan, but find that normal maternity care is not covered under their plan. At the same time, we all know that high quality health care is very important to assure a healthy pregnancy for the mother and child. We also know that the costs of health care are high, and they are rising all the time. This leaves many pregnant women in a tough situation.

It is a lot easier to handle maternity care if you have a good health plan. However, do not let the lack of current medical coverage deter you from getting the help you need.

• Is there a good way to get insurance, after you are already pregnant?


• If you cannot get health insurance while pregnant, can you find ways to afford good quality maternity care?

Group Health Insurance

A pregnant woman, or her spouse, may still be able to get a job that will provide group medical benefits. This may not be easy, and some employers do have a waiting period before group health insurance benefits will start. This solution will not work for everybody, but it is an option to consider.

If you lack a group health plan, because you run a small business, this may be the right time to consider covering yourself and your employees!

Individual Health Insurance

As far as I know, private health insurers will not accept a pregnant applicant. Some will not even cover anybody in the family if the mother is pregnant. You should probably not waste time trying to get a private health plan while a family member is pregnant.

State And Federal Health Plans

CHIPS is the federal and state health plan for children of families with low to moderate incomes. Medicaid covers poor people with very few assets. These two programs may provide benefits for pregnant women who can qualify! You should find the CHIPS or Medicaid program in your state to see if you qualify for benefits.

Your own state, or county, may also have low cost clinics or other health plans with sliding scale fees. Search for this help in your area. Your choice of a doctor or hospital may be limited, but at least you will have access to professional maternity care.

Payment Plans For Maternity Care

If you lack health benefits, but have a decent income, you may try to find a doctor and hospital that will offer you a payment plan. You can pay off the costs of good maternity care the same way that you would pay off any other debt. This can be a good way for people with a decent income, and good credit, to make sure that they get access to good maternity care.

As a test, I did an Internet search in my own area for "maternity payment plans", and I saw several results. You can still find doctors and hospitals that are willing to work with people that lack a medical plan. There are even private credit companies that specialize in this type of financing.

Pregnant Without Medical Insurance?

If you lack good insurance, it is important to figure out how you can handle the expense of a healthy pregnancy as quickly as you can. It is a lot easier to be covered when you are pregnant, but you can still find a lot of help out there.