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Student Health Services (SHS).
Located on-campus in Thompson Hall, the Student Health
Center features an impressive Women’s Clinic. The
staff is familiar with assisting pregnant women; they
have offered great advice to pregnant couples in the
past. The check-up is free; actually, your student
fees paid for it in advance! Go redeem that on-campus
health care. You will find them very helpful, we
believe! Know in advance, any physician will
recommend that you get an official blood test to
confirm your pregnancy. Drink lots of water to pump
up those veins before your appointment. After the
(free, free, free) test results come in, you can have
them transferred, as proof of pregnancy, to any
doctor, program, or service you utilize in the
future. This is the most important step
because you have to have proof of pregnancy to apply
for the numerous programs/services listed below.
After this initial visit, all they can offer you at
SHS is excellent advice and support (available ANY
time during and after your pregnancy). They are great
at answering questions; however, they are not
permitted to practice physical health care on pregnant
women after initial lab work is completed.
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Medicaid.
After you have lab work proving your pregnancy, you
can apply for Medicaid. This step may not apply to
you if you already have insurance or a means in which
to pay for the thousands of dollars in which
you are about to incur in medical bills. (Sorry to remind you!) What is Medicaid? According to
the 2003 booklet entitled User’s Guide: Texas
Medicaid Program, written by the Texas Health and
Human Services Commission, “Medicaid is a program
provided by the state that offers medical
assistance to the elderly and families with low
incomes and resources and certain people
with disabilities. Medicaid is different from
Medicare. (I inserted the boldface).”
How do you apply for Medicaid? It is a chronological,
multiple step process explained below. Looking at
this list, please resist the temptation to feel
overwhelmed. Simply take one step at a time. It may
take you up to a week to complete each of these steps
to complete Medicaid. With great confidence, we
believe it will be well worth your time to go through
these initial efforts. The financial assistance you
can yield from this service is absolutely priceless.
1-888-834-7406.
1.
The Texas Department of Human Services (TDHS)
determines your eligibility for Medicaid. Call days
in advance to make an appointment. We estimate that
the appointment will take you 1-2 hours depending on
what time of day you go. (Avoid lunchtime.)
You may pick from 3 locations in Lubbock:
1716 Parkway Drive 744-7632
2131 Clovis Road 744-9800
5806 34th Street
797-8870
The eligibility scale changes each year; thus, I have
not published that scale. What I can do is advise you
about how to fill out the paperwork. Bring copies of
the following items:
A.
Your mortgage or rent contract (as proof of rent)
B.
Official documents from the Texas Tech Financial Aid
Office (proving financial aid)
C.
Your most recent bank statement(s) (proof of financial
need)
Obviously, pick an advantageous time to make this
office visit. If you just deposited your financial
aid money, explain that your account is higher than
normal because you just received your financial
aid/grants/scholarships and that money has to last you
for months (as depicted by your mortgage/rent
contract). Be very specific, thorough, and offer
documentation as you are talking with the social
worker. She will make copies of everything you show
her. He/she is there to help you qualify, not to
judge you.
They put a special RUSH on cases that involve
pregnancy because timing is so critical and your needs
are urgent. I estimate that you will know within a
two weeks whether or not you qualify.
If you do qualify, we understand that every single
penny of your health care during your pregnancy is
covered, including the following: the pregnancy exams,
the birth, and the postpartum period. It is a
godsend. In addition, your baby will qualify for a
year after his/her birth and you will pay nothing for
baby’s health care. As your baby ages beyond 1 year
old, you can reapply for Medicaid for continuing
health care coverage. As a disclaimer, we do not
guarantee that this program will be exactly the same
for you as we have described here. This is merely our
personal understanding of the existing system. Get
updated information from the caseworkers to ensure you
understand all benefits and responsibilities.
2.
If you qualify with TDHS, the Texas Department of
Health (TDH) will oversee your case.
If you are not contacted by your TDHS or TDH
caseworker within two weeks, call them and give them
your Case Number. When TDH contacts you, you may be
asked to select “a program.” This is much like
selecting an insurance policy. The benefits of each
are virtually identical; however, the physicians
available on each program vary. If you have selected
an OB/GYN, ask them what Medicaid program they prefer
to file with. This will ensure the easiest paperwork
processing available. Believe me, you don’t want to
skip this step.
3.
(This step varies depending on whether you were
granted “Traditional Medicaid” or “STAR Medicaid.”)
After you have selected a Medicaid program, you will
deal almost exclusively with that specific provider.
They are so similar to any non-public insurance
provider that you may forget the difference! The
customer service is excellent, historically. They are
extremely respectful, helpful, and accessible.
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Get started seeing an OB/GYN. How we wish we
could recommend a specific physician to you! Alas, we
cannot. It just isn’t fair. You may get a
recommendation from the women’s clinic at Student
Health Services (Thompson Hall); most likely, their
hands may also be tied concerning recommendations. It
is just a courtesy that medics extend to each other
(to avoid favoritism). It is possible that this
policy has changed . . . there may be partnerships we
are unaware of. We recommend that you ask around, do
some research, and pick one as soon as possible. We
also recommend that you make sure that the OB/GYN
you select is on your insurance/Medicaid plan. If you
have to change later, you will find it is much more
difficult. Most doctors won’t see pregnant women
after a certain date because it is too great a
liability. (Unbelievable, huh?) As long as you’ve
been seeing someone in the meanwhile, you
should be okay. We implore you, do this early. If
nothing else, make an appointment early. They
book weeks in advance. In this ball game, you can
make an art out of timing appointments with
insurance/Medicaid coverage.
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It is very important that you establish a good
relationship with your OB/GYN. You will want them to
be your new best friend. Why? Because they can do a
lot for you. Once that good relationship is
established (even if on the first visit), explain to
your OB/GYN that you are a Texas Tech student
intending to continue classes. (I recommend bringing
proof of enrollment such as your class schedule.)
Explain that you are represented by TECH Couples &
Families, a registered student organization that is
committed to ensuring on-campus representation and
assistance. (That way they see you have done your
research.) Explain (or remind them of) the parking
conditions at Texas Tech, pointing out that they are
unreasonable, insufficient, and hazardous
accommodations for a pregnant woman. Request a
temporary handicap parking permit. They may or may
not give this to you. If they do not give this to
you, contact TECH Couples & Families and we will
provide you with a request letter to present to your
OB/GYN. This letter may help you get handicap
parking, but we cannot guarantee it. It is at the
doctor’s discretion. If this is a critical need
(depending on where your classes are and the weather)
there are further measures we can execute. We are
currently working on acquiring on-campus maternity
parking passes for expectant mothers from the Texas
Tech Traffic and Parking Department; however, these
are unavailable as of the Fall of 2003. If this is an
issue you are especially concerned about, contact TECH
Couples & Families to get involved on a committee that
is working to achieve this temporary on-campus parking
privilege.
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Select a hospital for the delivery. It really is
valuable to decide this early because there are so
many wonderful classes to take and people to meet.
Plus, you’ll want to see the maternity rooms and
equipment well in advance so you can mentally prepare
for the experience. It will help you to ease into the
“birthing zone.” (just kidding) There are 2
excellent hospitals from which to choose in Lubbock.
I recommend that you ask your OB/GYN he or she has a
preference or a partnership established with either of
these hospitals. That could be a critical factor in
your decision, obviously. Here are the 2 hospitals
and their respective websites:
o
Texas Tech University Medical Center (UMC), Grand
Beginnings
http://www.teamumc.org/default.asp?xml=grandbeginnings/default.xml&bhcp=1
o
Covenant Health System, First Impressions
http://www.covenanthealth.org/Services/womens.htm
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Contact and network with four very important on-campus
resources at Texas Tech University.
o
The first one, obviously, is TECH Couples & Families.
http://www.orgs.ttu.edu/techcouplesandfamilies
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The second one is the Texas Tech Ombudsman, Kathryn
Quilliam, who can be reached at 742-4791. Her
campus-wide advertisements read, “A safe place for
students to bring concerns and find solutions.” It’s
true – she is a problem-solving wiz.
http://www.depts.ttu.edu/ombudsman/
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The third one is the free Texas Tech Counseling Center
at 742-3674.
http://www.depts.ttu.edu/scc/
o
The fourth one is Texas Tech’s free Marriage and
Family Therapy Clinic at 742-3074.
http://www.hs.ttu.edu/mft/
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Look into the following local programs:
1.
Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
1-800-942-3678 (statewide number).
Their Lubbock location is 1301 50th Street,
Suite 10 Local Phone: 747-0006
Check out their website:
http://www.tdh.state.tx.us/wichd/
Quoted from their homepage on September 12, 2003:
“WIC
is a nutrition program that helps pregnant women, new
mothers, and young children eat well, learn about
nutrition, and stay healthy. Nutrition education and
counseling, nutritious
foods, and assistance with access to health care are
provided to low-income women, infants,
and children through the Special Supplemental
Nutrition Program, popularly known as WIC.
Who
is eligible and who can apply?
·
Pregnant women
·
Women who are breastfeeding a baby under one year of
age
·
Women who have had a baby in the past six months
·
Parents, step-parents, guardians, and foster parents
of infants and children under five can apply for their
children
If you have a job or if you have private health insurance, you
can still apply for WIC .
You do not have to be married to apply for WIC
.
What about fathers? Fathers of children under age
five are encouraged to enroll their children in the
WIC program. Just like any other parent or guardian,
fathers can bring their children to appointments,
attend nutrition education classes, and cash food
vouchers for their children. Active participation by
fathers is a great help in keeping WIC children
healthy.
Are services free?
Yes!
All WIC services are free to those who are eligible.
Who provides the services?
·
The Texas Department of Health runs the Texas WIC
Program and provides funds to agencies across the
state who run local WIC offices. All kinds of agencies
offer WIC services such as local health departments,
county and city agencies, migrant health centers,
community action agencies, and hospitals.
·
Many local offices are open in the evenings and on
Saturdays so that clients do not have to miss work.
·
There are over 400 full-time permanent WIC offices and
more than 300 other part-time satellite sites so
finding a WIC clinic close to you shouldn't be a
problem.
WIC Eligibility Requirements:
Meet the income guidelines. Households with incomes at or
below 185% of the federal poverty income level are
eligible. WIC determines income based on gross income.
WIC counts all of the members of a household, related
or non-related. WIC counts an unborn baby as a
household member.
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