Press Releases
New Maryland Law Now in Effect Expands Medicaid Access to Pregnant Individuals Regardless of Immigration Status
For Immediate Release: Friday, July 7, 2023
More than 1,300 pregnant Montgomery County residents currently enrolled in the County’s Maternity Partnership Program, which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), are now eligible to receive Medicaid, regardless of immigration status. A bill passed in the Maryland General Assembly earlier this year—the Healthy Babies Equity Act (HEBA)—went into effect July 1 and provides Medicaid coverage to low-income individuals, regardless of immigration status.
Maryland joins 17 other states, including Virginia, and the District of Columbia in providing Medicaid to the expanded group.
Medical and dental services previously offered through the Maternity Partnership Program are now part of the Medicaid program and pregnant individuals must apply for Medicaid to receive prenatal care, dental care, labor and delivery hospital care and postpartum care. To be eligible for Medicaid, an individual must be pregnant, live in Maryland and be 250 percent or below the Federal Poverty Level (approximately $4,340 or less per month for a family of two, $6,600 for a family of four).
Once approved, Medicaid will cover an individual during the pregnancy and up to four months after the baby is born.
Medicaid will pay for:
- Doctor or clinic visits
- Dental care
- Prescription drugs
- Behavioral health care
- Hospital care
- Lab work, ultrasounds and other tests
- Transportation to medical and other needed appointments
- Breast feeding supplies
Research shows that insurance coverage, including Medicaid, during and after pregnancy has the potential to improve maternal and infant health outcomes. Lack of insurance during pregnancy has been associated with increased obesity, cesarean deliveries, gestational diabetes, pregnancy related hypertension and depression.
In Montgomery County, approximately 72 percent of individuals uninsured because of immigration status are from Central or South America and disparities in poor birth outcomes are higher in this group. Thirty-eight percent of all infant deaths in Fiscal Year 2022 were born to mothers from Central or South America, yet births to Latino women made up less than 30 percent of the total births in Montgomery County.
With HBEA going into effect, the Maternity Partnership Program is focused on providing information to the 1,300 individuals currently enrolled so they can apply for Medicaid. Outreach efforts include DHHS staff contacting all current patients and providing information on how to enroll in Medicaid. In addition, each of the 1,300 women currently enrolled are assigned a community health nurse or a community health worker and staff will stay connected with them until they are enrolled in Medicaid to ensure a healthy birth.
The DHHS perinatal home visiting program, which has operated for 40 years, will continue to provide home visiting case management services to at-risk pregnant woman.
Outreach staff will be hosting two sign-up days specifically for Maternity Partnership Program patients to enroll in Medicaid. The events are by appointment only.
Saturday, July 8. 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. By appointment only. Call 240-777-3160. DHHS Office,
8818 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring,
Saturday, July 15. 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. By appointment only. Call 240-777-3380. Germantown Health Center, 12900 Middlebrook Rd., Germantown.
Additional ways to apply include:
- Online at www.MarylandHealthConnection.gov.
- Download the Maryland Health Connection App
- Call 240-777-1815 to schedule one-on-one assistance at 240-777-1815
- Visit any Montgomery County Office of Eligibility and Support Services office:
8630 Fenton Street, 10th Floor, Silver Spring.
8818 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring.
1401 Rockville Pike, Rockville.
12900 Middlebrook Rd., Germantown.
For more information about the Health Babies Equity Act, view fliers in English and Spanish.
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Media Contact: Mary Anderson 301-529-7669
Categories: Health