Pregnant Women to Qualify for Special Insurance Enrollment - US Democrats

US Democratic Senators said in a letter to HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell that the US Department of Health and Human Services should create a special insurance enrollment period for pregnant women.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) should create a special insurance enrollment period for pregnant women, US Democratic Senators said in a letter to HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell.

“Without access to maternity care coverage, [pregnant] women are forced to either forgo this critical care or face significant out of pocket costs. We encourage you to create a special enrollment period to maximize women’s access to coverage,” the letter, issued on Tuesday, said.

In the letter, 36 Democratic Senators urged Secretary Burwell to address the gap in insurance coverage that could leave a woman without access to maternity care if she becomes pregnant at a time outside of the Open Enrollment period.

The Open Enrollment Period for 2015 coverage under Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, ran from November 15, 2014 to February 15, 2015. Potential beneficiaries who missed the enrolment window can get health insurance only if they qualify for a special enrollment period of 60 days following certain life events, such as marriage, birth of a child, or loss of other health coverage, according to the HHS.

The Affordable Care Act was signed into law by US President Barack Obama in 2010 to provide millions of uninsured US citizens with health insurance.