Apple Health worker helps ease financial worries of new mother
When Ashley learned she was pregnant with her second child, she was excited but also worried. Though she had insurance, it covered the bare minimum. She worried about the costly copays for her prenatal care. Ashley’s pregnancy was considered high-risk, and she needed a lot of expensive testing.
“I wondered, how will I be able to afford this?” Ashley said. “I’m already living paycheck to paycheck.”
Ashley went to the local hospital in Kelso for an ultrasound appointment. While talking with hospital staff about getting her bill covered by insurance, Glynda, a Health Care Authority community based specialist, overheard her conversation and stepped in to offer to check Ashley’s eligibility for Apple Health (Medicaid).
Community based specialists work in more than 50 local clinics and hospitals around the state. They assist applicants, clients, and providers in answering questions related to eligibility rules for family, children, pregnant women, and adult Apple Health programs.
Ashley qualified to have Apple Health as secondary insurance, which would cover the cost of all of her testing and prenatal care, as well as provide insurance coverage for her newborn. She was able to continue to pay her regular bills without worrying about the extra cost of insurance for herself and her baby.
“It really changed my life–I am eternally grateful,” Ashley said. “I really felt like I wasn’t treated any differently than anyone else because I had Apple Health insurance, and I continue to get the best care. Anywhere I was sent I was treated with respect and treated like they genuinely cared.”
Pregnant women may be eligible for Apple Health if they have income at or below the Medicaid standard. To find out more, visit HCA’s eligibility webpage for pregnant women.