Birthroot Midwives

Last week we went to Everett to attend a workshop for midwives sponsored by DSHS. In addition to hearing about establishing paternity in Washington, we were updated about the Affordable Care Act and how implementation is going, especially as it affects women applying for pregnancy benefits.

The take home message is that while people are supposed to apply for healthcare insurance through the Washington Health Plan Finder only 1 out of every 8 applicants successfully complete the online application because of all the bugs in the new system. This is creating confusion and frustration for those navigating through the application process.

Since pregnant women need to receive benefits in a timely manner, we were advised to counsel women to make an appointment with a trained in-person assister. Contact the Whatcom Alliance for Health Advancement (WAHA) to receive more information about the locations offering in–person assistance. WAHA is a nonprofit organization based in Bellingham, Washington whose mission is to connect people to health care and facilitate transformation of the current system into one that improves health, reduces cost and improves the experience of care.

Whatcom Alliance for Health Advancement
800 E.Chestnut St., Lower Level, Suite 2
Bellingham, WA 98225
360.788.6594
www.whatcomalliance.org


Remember that pregnancy medical can be made retroactive for up to three months prior to the application date. This is important to note for pregnant women, who are encouraged to begin prenatal care as soon as possible, even if prior to approval for coverage.

The good news is that pregnant women applying for insurance coverage who do not qualify for Medicaid will still be able to purchase health insurance that will offer a maternity benefit without pre-existing exclusions.  This means that you will be covered even if you are already pregnant when you apply for benefits. As always, read the fine print of any plan before you purchase it.