Pregnant woman within certain income guidelines are eligible for Georgia Medicaid, along with their infants. Eligibility is determined on an individual basis, depending on income and family size. Qualified women will receive free medical care throughout their pregnancy and for a period afterward. They can also participate in the Women, Infants and Children, or WIC, nutrition program, which provides food vouchers during and after the pregnancy.
Features
Georgia's Right from the Start Medicaid program for pregnant women was implemented in 1993 to address the state's high infant mortality rate. The program pays for medical care for pregnant women, through labor and delivery and for up to two months after the baby is born. Prenatal visits and prescription drug costs are also covered. Children born under this program can continue to receive free medical care, including checkups, immunizations, prescription drugs, and dental and visual exams.
Applications
Applications are taken at the local county Department of Children and Families, as well as at some hospitals, schools and health departments. The applications are not complicated. Applicants need identification, proof of residence and income verification. Married women are also eligible and owning a home and/or a vehicle does not count against eligibility. A pregnant woman is eligible if her monthly income is below $1,702 per month and a pregnant woman who already has one child is eligible with an income of $2,282 per month.
Significance
The Right from the Start program allows low and moderate income women to have access to comprehensive health care they might not be able to afford otherwise. Women tend to enter prenatal care earlier in their pregnancy with this program and infant mortality and preventable illnesses are decreased.
Other Benefits
Most women who sign up for the Right from the Start program are also qualified for the WIC nutrition program. Vouchers are issued to women for the purchase of healthy food supplements, such as milk, cheese and vegetables. WIC continues after the birth of the baby and also provides baby formula and baby food.
Effects
Early and regular prenatal care has been proven to reduce risks associated with pregnancy. According to the National Women's Health Information Center, babies of mothers who do not get prenatal care are five times more likely to die and three times more likely to have low birth weight than those mothers who do get care. Doctors can spot potential health problems in the mother and baby early and early treatment is more effective.
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