Understanding Medical Insurance Coverage For Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a pre-existing condition and most health insurance plans cover prenatal care, childbirth, newborn care, and breastfeeding services. All Marketplace and Medicaid plans cover pregnancy and childbirth, even if your pregnancy begins before your coverage starts. Maternity care and newborn care are essential health benefits and all qualified health plans meet the Affordable Care Act requirement for having health coverage.

Prenatal care visits with no co-pay

Most health insurance plans cover prenatal care, childbirth, newborn care, and breastfeeding services. 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).

After the Affordable Care Act (ACA) passed, health care law requires all insurance plans on the Health Insurance Marketplace or Medicaid to cover many services for pregnant women. The Marketplace is an online resource that helps you find and compare health plans in your state. All Marketplace and Medicaid plans cover pregnancy and childbirth. This is true even if your pregnancy begins before your coverage starts. Maternity care and newborn care — services provided before and after your child is born — are essential health benefits.

If you report your pregnancy, you may be eligible for free or low-cost coverage through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). If you're found eligible for Medicaid or CHIP, your information will be sent to the state agency, and you won't be given the option to keep your Marketplace plan. Medicaid and CHIP provide free or low-cost health coverage to millions of Americans, including some low-income people, families and children, and pregnant women. Eligibility for these programs depends on your household size, income, and citizenship or immigration status. Specific rules and benefits vary by state. You can apply for Medicaid or CHIP any time during the year, not just during the annual Open Enrollment Period.

In most states, many pregnant women can get Medicaid coverage. 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 the Children’s Health Insurance Program (also called CHIP).

Maternity care and newborn care

Most health insurance plans cover prenatal care, childbirth, newborn care, and breastfeeding services. Prenatal care is medical care you get during pregnancy. All Marketplace and Medicaid plans cover pregnancy and childbirth. Maternity care and newborn care — services provided before and after your child is born — are essential health benefits. After the Affordable Care Act (ACA) passed, health care law requires all insurance plans on the Health Insurance Marketplace or Medicaid to cover many services for pregnant women. These insurance plans cover services for pregnant women including: All prenatal care visits with no co-pay. You can see your prenatal care provider without a referral from a primary care provider (who gives you basic health care). If you report your pregnancy, you may be eligible for free or low-cost coverage through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). If you're found eligible for Medicaid or CHIP, your information will be sent to the state agency, and you won't be given the option to keep your Marketplace plan. Medicaid and CHIP provide free or low-cost health coverage to millions of Americans, including some low-income people, families and children, and pregnant women. Eligibility for these programs depends on your household size, income, and citizenship or immigration status. Specific rules and benefits vary by state. You can apply for Medicaid or CHIP any time during the year, not just during the annual Open Enrollment Period. In most states, many pregnant women can get Medicaid coverage. 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 the Children’s Health Insurance Program (also called CHIP).

Infertility treatments

Most health insurance plans cover prenatal care, childbirth, newborn care, and breastfeeding services. Some health insurance plans may cover infertility treatments.

After the Affordable Care Act (ACA) passed, health care law requires all insurance plans on the Health Insurance Marketplace or Medicaid to cover many services for pregnant women. These insurance plans cover services for pregnant women including all prenatal care visits with no co-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).

All Marketplace and Medicaid plans cover pregnancy and childbirth. This is true even if your pregnancy begins before your coverage starts. Maternity care and newborn care — services provided before and after your child is born — are essential health benefits. An insurance plan that’s certified by the Health Insurance Marketplace®, provides essential health benefits, follows established limits on cost-sharing (like deductibles, copayments, and out-of-pocket maximum amounts), and meets other requirements under the Affordable Care Act. All qualified health plans meet the Affordable Care Act requirement for having health coverage, known as “minimum essential coverage.”

If you report your pregnancy, you may be eligible for free or low-cost coverage through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). If you're found eligible for Medicaid or CHIP, your information will be sent to the state agency, and you won't be given the option to keep your Marketplace plan. Medicaid and CHIP provide free or low-cost health coverage to millions of Americans, including some low-income people, families and children, and pregnant women. Eligibility for these programs depends on your household size, income, and citizenship or immigration status. Specific rules and benefits vary by state. You can apply for Medicaid or CHIP any time during the year, not just during the annual Open Enrollment Period.

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. In most states, many pregnant women can get Medicaid coverage. 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 the Children’s Health Insurance Program (also called CHIP).

Free or low-cost coverage through Medicaid or CHIP

Pregnancy is considered a pre-existing condition, meaning that you can be pregnant when you sign up for health insurance. Under healthcare law after the Affordable Care Act (ACA), insurance companies can't deny you coverage or charge you more money to care for pre-existing conditions.

All Marketplace and Medicaid plans cover pregnancy and childbirth, even if your pregnancy begins before your coverage starts. Maternity care and newborn care — services provided before and after your child is born — are essential health benefits.

If you report your pregnancy, you may be eligible for free or low-cost coverage through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). If you're found eligible for Medicaid or CHIP, your information will be sent to the state agency, and you won't be given the option to keep your Marketplace plan.

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 the Children’s Health Insurance Program (also called CHIP).

Eligibility for these programs depends on your household size, income, and citizenship or immigration status. Specific rules and benefits vary by state. You can apply for Medicaid or CHIP any time during the year, not just during the annual Open Enrollment Period.

Essential health benefits

Pregnancy is considered a pre-existing condition, meaning that you can be pregnant when you sign up for health insurance. Under healthcare law after the Affordable Care Act (ACA), insurance companies can't deny you coverage or charge you more money to care for pre-existing conditions.

After the ACA passed, healthcare law requires all insurance plans on the Health Insurance Marketplace or Medicaid to cover many services for pregnant women. These insurance plans cover services for pregnant women including:

• All prenatal care visits with no co-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)

All Marketplace and Medicaid plans cover pregnancy and childbirth. This is true even if your pregnancy begins before your coverage starts. Maternity care and newborn care — services provided before and after your child is born — are essential health benefits.

If you report your pregnancy, you may be eligible for free or low-cost coverage through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). If you're found eligible for Medicaid or CHIP, your information will be sent to the state agency, and you won't be given the option to keep your Marketplace plan. Medicaid and CHIP provide free or low-cost health coverage to millions of Americans, including some low-income people, families and children, and pregnant women. Eligibility for these programs depends on your household size, income, and citizenship or immigration status. Specific rules and benefits vary by state. You can apply for Medicaid or CHIP any time during the year, not just during the annual Open Enrollment Period.

Frequently asked questions