Find help to pay for your pregnancy
What do you do if someone in the family is pregnant and has no health insurance or an inadequate amount?
There are resources available-though not easy to find.
First, fill out a questionnaire at govbenefits.gov to see if you're eligible for any government benefits. But don't give up there.
Pregnant women can use federally funded health centers that permit you to pay what you can afford, based on your income. They can provide complete care when you're pregnant as well as a host of other health services. To find one in your area, type in your address at www.findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov.
Medicaid is a federally funded state-run program may help low income families. The Kaiser Family Foundation provides an excellent database detailing what Medicaid may cover in your state, at medicaidbenefits.kff.org/. Just click on your state. Unfortunately, a spokesman for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services confirms, there is no centralized federal data base to provide pregnant women information on where to go either at local or state levels for Medicaid services.
Each state has a Women Infants and Children program, which provides nutritious foods, nutrition education and referrals to health and other social services. Admini- stered by the USDA Food & Nutrition Service, this program covers low income, pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women, and children up to age 5 who are at nutrition risk. A household of four would qualify if their annual income is less than $40,793, according to the USDA Food & Nutrition Services. Have a whopping household of eight? The family would qualify if they made under $68,469. For more information, go to www.fns.usda.gov/wic.
Be sure also to examine other federally-sponsored nutritional programs near the bottom of that same Web page.
For information on prenatal services in your community, call 800-311-BABY. For information in Spanish: 800-504-7081.
The State Children's Health Insurance Program may help children of families who make too much to qualify for Medicaid but can't afford private health. Go to www.insurekidsnow.gov or call 877-543-7669 (KIDS NOW).
Indian Health Service provides public health care services to American Indians and Alaskan natives as well as non-Indian women who are pregnant with an eligible Indian's child. Contact www.ihs.gov.
Some labor unions, professional clubs, associations and organizations offer private group plans to members, which may be lower-cost.
Other options:
• Talk to your hospital about a payment plan. Negotiate fiercely with your doctor and hospital, and try to obtain a list of all fees and necessary services in advance.
• A birthing center. This may cost $3,000 to $4,000, compared with $10,000 for a hospital. But only consider this if you are perfectly healthy and expect no complications. Find whether the center is properly licensed in your state and check staff credentials. You can search for a birthing center at www.birthcenters.org.
• Consider a midwife. Midwives charge less than one-third for their services compared with regular hospital care, and many prefer the personal touch and the natural nature of childbirth through a midwife. Ask your doctor or hospital for referrals. You also can search a database at the American College of Nurse-Midwives at www.midwife.org.
Birthing centers and midwives have been subject to some controversy, largely triggered by published reports of delays in arranging hospital care in view of pregnancy complications.
So shop around, and carefully evaluate credentials, built-in safeguards, cleanliness and what insurance exists on the facility and/or midwife in the event of a problem.
Spouses Gail Liberman and Alan Lavine are syndicated columnists. Their latest book is "Quick Steps to Financial Stability" (Que/Penguin). You can contact them at www.moneycouple.com.
