Most states will cover women who are pregnant in their Medicaid program. Wyoming has three programs that are a part of Medicaid that will cover women who are pregnant. Newborns who are born to mothers who are qualified for Medicaid automatically get covered by the Kids Care CHIP.
Medicaid, as you may know, is a public, or government run, form of health insurance. It is funded, in part, by the federal government, and in part by the state government. The purpose of the Medicaid program is to provide an affordable form of health insurance for families and individuals who are low-income, and who cannot afford to purchase health insurance from a private company.
I’ve been doing a bit of research on the Medicaid programs of individual states. I am quite impressed with how well Wyoming covers low-income women who are pregnant. Wyoming has several parts to their Medicaid program. Three parts are specifically intended to cover women who are pregnant. A newborn that is born to a mother who is qualified for Medicaid is automatically eligible for coverage through Wyoming’s Kids Care CHIP.
One part of the Medicaid coverage available to qualified pregnant women in Wyoming is called Presumptive Eligibility (PE). It is a Medicaid option that is designed to improve a pregnant woman’s access to temporary outpatient services while her eligibility for Medicaid benefits is being determined. This can give an eligible pregnant woman access to health care through a Medicaid provider for up to 60 days.
To qualify for PE, a woman must be a United States citizen, or a lawful permanent resident who has lived in the United States for five or more years. She must be a resident of Wyoming. She must meet the income eligibility, and have an income that is at or below 133% of the federal poverty level. She also, of course, must be pregnant, and able to state an estimated due date. There are no co-payments or premium costs for the Medicaid PE program.
Wyoming’s Medicaid program for Pregnant Women is made up of two parts that are based on income. To qualify for either one, a pregnant woman must be a United States Citizen or a lawful permanent resident who has lived in the United States for at least five years. The woman must be a Wyoming resident. The woman’s income must be at, or below, 133% of the federal poverty level. There are no co-payments or premium costs of Wyoming Medicaid’s Pregnant Women programs.
Wyoming also has a program called Pregnant By Choice. There are no co-payments or premium costs for this program. It is for women who were on a Pregnant Women program and who are within their 60 day postpartum period. This program provides family planning services to women who have received Medicaid benefits through the Pregnant women program and are at or below 133% of the federal poverty level. The purpose is to allow the new mother to be able to afford contraception so that she doesn’t become pregnant again until she chooses to.
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