New York First State to Give All Pregnant Women Access to Health Care

New York State has designated pregnancy as a "qualifying life event," creating a special health insurance enrollment period for pregnant women to ensure that all women have access to comprehensive prenatal care throughout pregnancy.

New York is the first state in the country to pass legislation designating pregnancy as a ‘qualifying life event,’ creating a special enrollment period for pregnant women to purchase health insurance from New York State of Health. This legislation creates a critical safety net for New York’s mothers-to-be, ensuring that all women have the opportunity to access comprehensive prenatal care services.

“Establishing a special enrollment period for pregnant women is a real victory for maternal and child health,” said Dr. Iffath Abbasi Hoskins, a volunteer member of the March of Dimes New York Chapter’s Advocacy and Government Affairs Committee. “Without this new law, women who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid could find themselves without coverage options unless they discovered they were pregnant within the short open enrollment period. The March of Dimes commends Assembly members Kevin A. Cahill and Aravella Simotas; Senators Kemp Hannon, Liz Krueger, and James Seward; and New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer for championing this important legislation, which will help pregnant women obtain health coverage when they need it most.”

Under current law, women whose income is above Medicaid eligibility levels are able to enroll in coverage through the state’s Marketplace, New York State of Health, during the annual open enrollment period. If a woman discovers she is pregnant outside the open enrollment period, however, she may be unable to obtain affordable coverage for most or all of her pregnancy. This new law will address this loophole by designating pregnancy as a ‘qualifying life event,’ which will trigger a special enrollment period for women to enroll in coverage.