BOOK OF CHOICES - New York Resources for Unplanned Pregnancy

PREVENTING PREGNANCY

AN UNPLANNED PREGNANCY: YOUR CHOICES

ENDING A PREGNANCY: ABORTION CARE

CHOOSING ADOPTION

BECOMING A PARENT

PAYING FOR YOUR CARE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Your Choices

PAYING FOR YOUR CARE

There are a number of government sponsored programs that provide health insurance coverage for family planning and pregnancy related services including: Medicaid, the Family Planning Benefit Program, the Family Planning Extension Program, the Prenatal Care Assistance Program, Child Health Plus and Family Health Plus. These programs are open to applicants based upon their income and family size.

Medicaid
Medicaid provides medical coverage for people who meet certain eligibility requirements. Medicaid covers prenatal care and family planning services, including emergency contraception, birth control, and abortions, from any Medicaid provider without a referral from your doctor. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you can quickly and temporarily be enrolled in Medicaid to cover the cost of an abortion procedure. A counselor at the clinic or office of the abortion provider can help arrange this coverage for you. In the abortion provider list (click here), we have indicated when Medicaid is accepted. Citizenship or legal immigration status is required for eligibility.

YOUR FAMILY PLANNING, ABORTION OR PRENATAL CARE SERVICES MIGHT BE COVERED EVEN IF YOU DON’T QUALIFY FOR GENERAL MEDICAID BENEFITS!

The Family Planning Benefit Program (FPBP) covers family planning services, excluding abortion and pre-natal care, for people who cannot afford them but whose incomes are too high for regular Medicaid or Family Health Plus. Citizenship or legal immigration status is required for eligibility.

The Family Planning Extension Program (FPEP) extends coverage for family planning services, excluding abortion and pre-natal care, for women and adolescents who lose their Medicaid eligibility after the end of their pregnancy. The family planning coverage can extend up to two years after a woman completes her pregnancy. Women and adolescents are eligible regardless of their citizenship/immigration status.

The Prenatal Care Assistance Program (PCAP) provides prenatal, labor and delivery, and post-partum services to pregnant women who would not otherwise be eligible for Medicaid benefits. Women and adolescents are eligible regardless of their citizenship/immigration status.

Child Health Plus A
Child Health Plus A is a Medicaid program that provides free or low-cost health care to children and young adults up to the age of 19 who meet certain income requirements. Child Health Plus A offers comprehensive healthcare benefits, including pre-natal care, birth control and abortion services. In New York State, minors (those under the age of 18) do not need their parents’ permission to obtain birth control and abortion services. Citizenship or legal immigration status is required for eligibility.

Child Health Plus B
With Child Health Plus B, children and young adults are eligible regardless of their citizenship/immigration status. Child Health Plus B provides free or low-cost health care to children and young adults up to the age of 19 who meet certain income requirements. Child Health Plus B offers comprehensive healthcare benefits, including pre-natal care, birth control and abortion services. In New York State, minors (those under the age of 18) do not need their parents’ permission to obtain birth control and abortion services.

Family Health Plus
Family Health Plus provides low-cost health care coverage to adults, between the ages of 19 and 64, who do not have health insurance (either on their own or through their employers), and whose incomes are too high to qualify for Medicaid. This program offers comprehensive health care benefits, including birth control, abortion or pre-natal care services. Please note, Family Health Plus does not cover over-the-counter Plan B. Citizenship or legal immigration status is required for eligibility.

For more information about Programs listed above:
Check the New York State Department of Health website at www.health.state.ny.us. If you live within the five boroughs of New York City, call 1-877-472-8411 or 311. If you live outside New York City, you can call your local Department of Social Services. For general questions or help finding your local Department of Social Services, call the Medicaid helpline at 1-800-541-2831 or look at the online list at http://www.health.state.ny.us/health_care/medicaid/ldss.htm.

NEED HELP PAYING FOR AN ABORTION?

If you are uninsured and don’t qualify for public health insurance, don’t give up there may still be assistance available. Abortion funds provide assistance for women facing financial barriers to abortion. There are over 104 abortion funds across the country, and the National Network of Abortion Funds provides a helpful map and list by state, online at http://www.nnaf.org/help.html. In New York State there are several abortion funds that can provide assistance.

The New York Abortion Access Fund is a volunteer-run non-profit that provides financial assistance to low-income women who cannot afford to pay for an abortion. For more information, go to http://www.nyaaf.org.
The Haven Coalition is a network of volunteers who open their homes to low-income women forced to travel to New York City for second-trimester abortions. For more information, call 917-371-2035 or email havencoalition@gmail.com.
Several abortion clinics have funds that are able to assist their patients and many abortion providers offer sliding scale fees to help women pay for the procedure. Click here to see the list of abortion providers to find out more information about these clinics.

DOES YOUR PRIVATE INSURANCE COVER CONTRACEPTIVES?

On January 1, 2003, New York State’s Women’s Health and Wellness Act went into effect. This law mandates that health insurance plans issued in New York State that provide coverage for prescription drugs must also include coverage for prescription contraceptives. To find out more about the coverage your insurance plan provides, call their customer service number to ask for more details. If you want this coverage and it is not offered through your employer’s health insurance, call NARAL Pro-Choice New York at 212-343-0114 for ways to lobby your employer to include coverage for birth control.

WARNING: CATHOLIC-RUN MEDICAID MANAGED CARE PLANS

Most people in New York who enroll in Medicaid, Family Health Plus, or Child Health Plus must choose a Managed Care Plan through which they will obtain health care. The Managed Care Plan you join makes a difference! There are two Managed Care plans that do not directly cover birth control and abortion services for their members. Fidelis Care and CenterCare exclude birth control and abortion because they follow Directives issued by the nation’s Catholic Bishops. If you are enrolled in Fidelis or CenterCare, you are still entitled to obtain these services! If you are on Medicaid, Child Health Plus A or Family Health Plus, you can obtain these services from any clinic or doctor that accepts Medicaid and offers these services by using your Medicaid and/or health plan ID card. By law, you are entitled to receive birth control and abortion services from any Medicaid provider at no extra cost and without needing a referral. If you are enrolled in Child Health Plus B, you must obtain these services from a specific Managed Care provider: HealthFirst (in NYC), Affinity (in Long Island, Westchester, and Rockland), or GHI (in the rest of NY State).

<< LINKS TO PARENTAL RESOURCES


			PREVENTING PREGNANCY AN UNPLANNED PREGNANCY: YOUR CHOICES ENDING A PREGNANCY: ABORTION CARE CHOOSING ADOPTION BECOMING A PARENT PAYING FOR YOUR CARE TABLE OF CONTENTS
	• Your Choices PAYING FOR YOUR CARE There are a number of government sponsored programs that provide health insurance coverage for family planning and pregnancy related services including: Medicaid, the Family Planning Benefit Program, the Family Planning Extension Program, the Prenatal Care Assistance Program, Child Health Plus and Family Health Plus. These programs are open to applicants based upon their income and family size. Medicaid Medicaid provides medical coverage for people who meet certain eligibility requirements. Medicaid covers prenatal care and family planning services, including emergency contraception, birth control, and abortions, from any Medicaid provider without a referral from your doctor. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you can quickly and temporarily be enrolled in Medicaid to cover the cost of an abortion procedure. A counselor at the clinic or office of the abortion provider can help arrange this coverage for you. In the abortion provider list (click here), we have indicated when Medicaid is accepted. Citizenship or legal immigration status is required for eligibility. YOUR FAMILY PLANNING, ABORTION OR PRENATAL CARE SERVICES MIGHT BE COVERED EVEN IF YOU DON’T QUALIFY FOR GENERAL MEDICAID BENEFITS! The Family Planning Benefit Program (FPBP) covers family planning services, excluding abortion and pre-natal care, for people who cannot afford them but whose incomes are too high for regular Medicaid or Family Health Plus. Citizenship or legal immigration status is required for eligibility. The Family Planning Extension Program (FPEP) extends coverage for family planning services, excluding abortion and pre-natal care, for women and adolescents who lose their Medicaid eligibility after the end of their pregnancy. The family planning coverage can extend up to two years after a woman completes her pregnancy. Women and adolescents are eligible regardless of their citizenship/immigration status. The Prenatal Care Assistance Program (PCAP) provides prenatal, labor and delivery, and post-partum services to pregnant women who would not otherwise be eligible for Medicaid benefits. Women and adolescents are eligible regardless of their citizenship/immigration status. Child Health Plus A Child Health Plus A is a Medicaid program that provides free or low-cost health care to children and young adults up to the age of 19 who meet certain income requirements. Child Health Plus A offers comprehensive healthcare benefits, including pre-natal care, birth control and abortion services. In New York State, minors (those under the age of 18) do not need their parents’ permission to obtain birth control and abortion services. Citizenship or legal immigration status is required for eligibility. Child Health Plus B With Child Health Plus B, children and young adults are eligible regardless of their citizenship/immigration status. Child Health Plus B provides free or low-cost health care to children and young adults up to the age of 19 who meet certain income requirements. Child Health Plus B offers comprehensive healthcare benefits, including pre-natal care, birth control and abortion services. In New York State, minors (those under the age of 18) do not need their parents’ permission to obtain birth control and abortion services. Family Health Plus Family Health Plus provides low-cost health care coverage to adults, between the ages of 19 and 64, who do not have health insurance (either on their own or through their employers), and whose incomes are too high to qualify for Medicaid. This program offers comprehensive health care benefits, including birth control, abortion or pre-natal care services. Please note, Family Health Plus does not cover over-the-counter Plan B. Citizenship or legal immigration status is required for eligibility. For more information about Programs listed above: Check the New York State Department of Health website at www.health.state.ny.us. If you live within the five boroughs of New York City, call 1-877-472-8411 or 311. If you live outside New York City, you can call your local Department of Social Services. For general questions or help finding your local Department of Social Services, call the Medicaid helpline at 1-800-541-2831 or look at the online list at http://www.health.state.ny.us/health_care/medicaid/ldss.htm. NEED HELP PAYING FOR AN ABORTION? If you are uninsured and don’t qualify for public health insurance, don’t give up there may still be assistance available. Abortion funds provide assistance for women facing financial barriers to abortion. There are over 104 abortion funds across the country, and the National Network of Abortion Funds provides a helpful map and list by state, online at http://www.nnaf.org/help.html. In New York State there are several abortion funds that can provide assistance. The New York Abortion Access Fund is a volunteer-run non-profit that provides financial assistance to low-income women who cannot afford to pay for an abortion. For more information, go to http://www.nyaaf.org. The Haven Coalition is a network of volunteers who open their homes to low-income women forced to travel to New York City for second-trimester abortions. For more information, call 917-371-2035 or email havencoalition@gmail.com. Several abortion clinics have funds that are able to assist their patients and many abortion providers offer sliding scale fees to help women pay for the procedure. Click here to see the list of abortion providers to find out more information about these clinics. DOES YOUR PRIVATE INSURANCE COVER CONTRACEPTIVES? On January 1, 2003, New York State’s Women’s Health and Wellness Act went into effect. This law mandates that health insurance plans issued in New York State that provide coverage for prescription drugs must also include coverage for prescription contraceptives. To find out more about the coverage your insurance plan provides, call their customer service number to ask for more details. If you want this coverage and it is not offered through your employer’s health insurance, call NARAL Pro-Choice New York at 212-343-0114 for ways to lobby your employer to include coverage for birth control. WARNING: CATHOLIC-RUN MEDICAID MANAGED CARE PLANS Most people in New York who enroll in Medicaid, Family Health Plus, or Child Health Plus must choose a Managed Care Plan through which they will obtain health care. The Managed Care Plan you join makes a difference! There are two Managed Care plans that do not directly cover birth control and abortion services for their members. Fidelis Care and CenterCare exclude birth control and abortion because they follow Directives issued by the nation’s Catholic Bishops. If you are enrolled in Fidelis or CenterCare, you are still entitled to obtain these services! If you are on Medicaid, Child Health Plus A or Family Health Plus, you can obtain these services from any clinic or doctor that accepts Medicaid and offers these services by using your Medicaid and/or health plan ID card. By law, you are entitled to receive birth control and abortion services from any Medicaid provider at no extra cost and without needing a referral. If you are enrolled in Child Health Plus B, you must obtain these services from a specific Managed Care provider: HealthFirst (in NYC), Affinity (in Long Island, Westchester, and Rockland), or GHI (in the rest of NY State). << LINKS TO PARENTAL RESOURCES Preventing Pregnancy \| An Unplanned Pregnancy: Your Choices \| Ending a Pregnancy: Abortion Care Choosing Adoption \| Becoming a Parent \| Paying for Your Care \| How to Use This Guide