Rick Dean
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Low-income immigrants to Ark. eligible to receive prenatal care
By The Associated Press
July 5, 2004
LITTLE ROCK - Medicaid rules now allow low-income pregnant immigrants to Arkansas to receive prenatal care, but state gynecologists and obstetricians say they haven't gotten official word of the new coverage.
The change would allow coverage for both legal and illegal immigrants who do not qualify for Medicaid because they have not been in the United States five years.
Arkansas off
cials expect that it will allow 800 to 1,000 women health insurance coverage for their pregnancies each year.
Some nurses say the lack of communication between the state and providers is not surpris
ing. The coverage change took effect Thursday.
"It's pretty typical
, I think," said Sally Grace, a nurse with Parkhill Clinic for Women in Johnson. "If nobody knows about it, nobody will use the money."
The state Department of Human Services, which operates the Medicaid program in Arkansas, has drafted a letter it plans to send to health care providers across the state this week.
"I know that Medicaid is making a very concerted attempt to give the Health Department training to just walk through the process in making sure that these women are actually gotten onto the Medicaid program," said Dr. Dick Nugent, leader of the Health Department's Family Health Group.
Officials say the change in coverage will gradually filter down to health care
providers and then to eligible women. Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families is organizing a statewide effort through its six agencies to let people know about the new benefits, said Rhonda Sanders
, the group's health policy director.
Sanders said the most difficult task would be winning the trust of the women
the coverage is intended to serve.
Low-income immigrants to Ark. eligible to receive prenatal care
By The Associated Press
July 5, 2004
LITTLE ROCK - Medicaid rules now allow low-income pregnant immigrants to Arkansas to receive prenatal care, but state gynecologists and obstetricians say they haven't gotten official word of the new coverage.
The change would allow coverage for both legal and illegal immigrants who do not qualify for Medicaid because they have not been in the United States five years.
Arkansas off
cials expect that it will allow 800 to 1,000 women health insurance coverage for their pregnancies each year.
Some nurses say the lack of communication between the state and providers is not surpris
ing. The coverage change took effect Thursday.
"It's pretty typical
, I think," said Sally Grace, a nurse with Parkhill Clinic for Women in Johnson. "If nobody knows about it, nobody will use the money."
The state Department of Human Services, which operates the Medicaid program in Arkansas, has drafted a letter it plans to send to health care providers across the state this week.
"I know that Medicaid is making a very concerted attempt to give the Health Department training to just walk through the process in making sure that these women are actually gotten onto the Medicaid program," said Dr. Dick Nugent, leader of the Health Department's Family Health Group.
Officials say the change in coverage will gradually filter down to health care
providers and then to eligible women. Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families is organizing a statewide effort through its six agencies to let people know about the new benefits, said Rhonda Sanders
, the group's health policy director.
Sanders said the most difficult task would be winning the trust of the women
the coverage is intended to serve.