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Medicaid waiting period
I applied as soon as I found out I was pregnant because my insurance doesn't cover anything for pregnancy. I filled out all the paperwork and got a card in the mail but its not active. The doctors here won't see me until the card is permanent. I am very frustrated. I won't be able to see a doctor until I am nearly 13 weeks. I broke down in the car as hubby drove me home. It took my sister 5 days to get her permanent card. They told me I am approved but there's a 30 day waiting period from when the account is opened. I am frustrated and need to vent. Has this happened to anyone else? I just want to see my baby and make sure its ok.
I may have to just wait it out. Sounds like its a common thing for Medicaid to take forever. I will have to see if the health department has an ob on staff. I've only seen rns and lpns there. Thanks for all the help ladies! I feel much better than I did this morning when I heard about it. I was a mess this morning. :)
I had to wait for almost a month to get my Medicaid and I kept calling them until they expedited my case cuz of my pregnancy.
If that's standard practice and you can't get to a free/inexpensive clinic within a reasonable drive, unfortunately you may just have to tough it out. I waited till I thought I was 13 weeks before I got my first appointment. Turned out I wasn't even close to out of the first trimester, according to the ultrasound, but I did wait that whole time.
Unless you run into complications or conflicting data like I did, usually ultrasounds are still considered optional services, not standard prenatal care. It's relatively common still for a woman to go through her whole pregnancy without one, or to not get one till the second trimester for diagnostic and gender determination purposes.
Unless you run into complications or conflicting data like I did, usually ultrasounds are still considered optional services, not standard prenatal care. It's relatively common still for a woman to go through her whole pregnancy without one, or to not get one till the second trimester for diagnostic and gender determination purposes.
Medicaid is income-based. Unfortunately, paying for a visit now, while it would hopefully give peace of mind, may not be a realistic option for her.
Also. If you are concerned I recommend going to the hospital they can give you a blood test and ultrasound without insurance then when your insurance kicks in it will pay the bill
Before you get it. I will be 11 weeks at my app on the 17th and 12 weeks before my u/s. With medicaid you have to be paitient. Make an app with the ob at your health department they will go ahead see you before your ob of choice will, and when you get your permenant medicaid card switch obs.
Oh I understand. I'm in a rural area 45 minutes from my dr's office and 90+miles from the nearest PP; the hospital here is a complete joke and our county public health office got shut down after too complaints got back to the state that staff had been gossiping about patients.
It's too bad they are giving you such a hard time. Not sure if your caseworker can help if it's your doc's new policy but might still be worth a phone call.
It's too bad they are giving you such a hard time. Not sure if your caseworker can help if it's your doc's new policy but might still be worth a phone call.
That's normal. Medicaid obs won't see you until around the end of the first trimester. I applied when I was 4 weeks and I am now close to 10 weeks and still don't have my medicaid, but my dr will go ahead and see with or without it because I have a letter of approval and medicaid covers the last 3 months of bills before ypu get ot.
I would just pay to see your doctor and wait for your card. The office will then reimburse your
In all honesty there's not a whole lot American doctors normally would do before then anyway. Unless you're considered a high-risk patient for some reason, usually your first visit is supposed to be around 10-12 weeks (some have you come in around 8 weeks though). I managed to get seen earlier but that's mainly because we had good reason to think I was a lot further along. And finding out I wasn't yet has caused no end of headache in and of itself.
Oh, I did go to their office and they told me 30 days from when it was opened. And the nearest planned parenthood is 2.5 hours away. My town is a good size but its not a huge city. I checked into planned parenthood when I found out to see what they did.
They won't see me without the permanent card because some women were getting the temporary card and going to the doctor and then getting denied because they didn't turn the final paperwork in. Then the doctor was responsible for the baby until it was born and the women weren't paying their bills. So basically a few women made it harder for others to get prenatal care.
I do take prenatal vitamins and I exercise on a stationary bike and am eating healthy.
I was approved for wic and have already gotten the pack from them. I was approved by them on the same day I applied for Medicaid. The 21st of December. They were closed for all the holidays so I couldn't get the final paper work in until the 28th. So I have to wait until Jan 28 th to get a permanent card. Then I can make an appointment. So I will finally be seen by a doctor near week 13 if they can get me in within a week. Maybe 12.5 if I'm lucky.
I do take prenatal vitamins and I exercise on a stationary bike and am eating healthy.
I was approved for wic and have already gotten the pack from them. I was approved by them on the same day I applied for Medicaid. The 21st of December. They were closed for all the holidays so I couldn't get the final paper work in until the 28th. So I have to wait until Jan 28 th to get a permanent card. Then I can make an appointment. So I will finally be seen by a doctor near week 13 if they can get me in within a week. Maybe 12.5 if I'm lucky.
That's ridiculous! My doctor said Medicaid has a roughly 3-month "lookback period," so they should be able to see you now, bill Medicaid later and have no trouble getting paid. I've already been seen twice, have a third appt. scheduled and am only halfway through the paperwork.
Also -- idk how it goes in your state, but mine has a separate program for pregnant women and they usually require proof of pregnancy, like a doctor's note. If they won't see you, go to your local Planned Parenthood, public health nurse or another women's clinic. These places work on a sliding fee scale and should be able to get you seen and give you the documentation you need to prove pregnancy.
Also -- idk how it goes in your state, but mine has a separate program for pregnant women and they usually require proof of pregnancy, like a doctor's note. If they won't see you, go to your local Planned Parenthood, public health nurse or another women's clinic. These places work on a sliding fee scale and should be able to get you seen and give you the documentation you need to prove pregnancy.
Thats odd. I would call your caseworker. I was approved in office and recieved my card within a week with all my pregnancies. ( I had insurance like yours) I have never once recieved a temporary card, so that is something I dont know about. Call your caseworker and see if he/ she can find out whats going on. I hope that you can get this taken care of quickly.
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