Louisiana Seeks Federal SCHIP Reimbursement Beauty Health

Louisiana is seeking about million in federal SCHIP reimbursements for prenatal care provided to pregnant women who are not U.S. citizens,Beauty Health the Baton Rouge Advocate reports. The state expanded LaCHIP, the states version of SCHIP, earlier this year, Beauty Health and since July, it has provided prenatal care to about 1,061 noncitizens.

Beauty Health According to CMS spokesperson Mary Kahn, undocumented immigrants are ineligible for government-funded health programs or services, including SCHIP, except in emergency situations. Noncitizens who have green cards can become eligible for coverage only after they have been in the country for five years, Kahn said. According to Kahn, Louisiana's spending on care for pregnant noncitizens is "not reimbursable." Beauty Health Kahn said labor and delivery is the "only coverage" available for noncitizen pregnant women.

Beauty Health Kennedy noted a 2002 change in SCHIP rules that allows states to cover children "from conception to birth and up to age 19" regardless of the pregnant woman's immigration status. She added that it is cost-effective to provide prenatal care to pregnant women who are not citizens to ensure that infants are born healthy Beauty Health.