little girl kissing mother's pregnant belly
ARTICLEPREGNANCY

How to Use Your Insurance to Find the Care You Need During and After Pregnancy

March 01, 2023

There’s a lot to think about and do during and after pregnancy. One of the most important is caring for your health and well‑being.

That may feel even harder if you have a physical or mental health concern like high blood pressure or depression. But getting the right kind of care can help you reduce your and your baby’s risk of health problems, such as preterm birth.

Here are a few ways to help ensure you have the healthiest pregnancy possible.

Find the Right Prenatal Care Provider

See a doctor or midwife as early as possible in your pregnancy.

If you don’t have one, go to your health insurance plan’s website. Many have a directory of professionals that can provide healthcare during your pregnancy and in the first weeks after you give birth.

A doctor or midwife can help decide on the level of care you need based on your health and well‑being. If your pregnancy is considered a high-risk pregnancy, they may recommend a special doctor to treat you during your pregnancy.

Your doctor or midwife will then see you regularly throughout pregnancy to check on you and your baby. They’ll also check on your health and well‑being after you give birth.

Consider Extra Help

Need help navigating the healthcare system? Check with your insurance plan or ask your doctor to see if you qualify for a case management program. A case manager is a professional like a nurse or social worker who can get to know you and your needs. They then help you coordinate the support services that can help to optimize your treatment.

To see if you qualify, the first step is usually to complete a screening questionnaire or form. If you qualify, you’d need to let your plan know that you’re interested in enrolling in the program.

A case management program could personalize your care and make it easier to care for your health and well‑being.

Some health plans also cover doula services. A doula is a professional who can provide support, education, and help during pregnancy, labor, and/or postpartum. They can help you have the birth and postpartum experience you envision.

See your insurance plan’s website or call to see if it can help cover the cost of a doula.

Get the Emotional Support You Need

While pregnancy can be a happy time, it can also be emotionally challenging. You may be more likely to need mental health support.

You can reach out for mental health support any time you feel you need it. But it’s especially important if you feel your emotions are getting in the way of your daily life or causing you significant distress.

To find mental health support, talk to your doctor or midwife. You can also search your health insurance plan’s website to find a provider. It can be a social worker, a counselor, a psychologist, or a psychiatrist.

There are some additional resources that can help too:

If you ever have very negative or scary thoughts, talk to someone right away. You can call 988 or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or go to the free Crisis Text Line.

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