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Current Policy Effective Date: February 1, 2026
Date Last Reviewed: June 28, 2023
Previous Policy: July 1, 2023
POL M1202B: DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY FOR QUALIFIED PREGNANT WOMEN
1. Applicants Must Meet Basic Eligibility Factors
Refer to Section M600 for a description of all basic eligibility factors. Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or a lawful present immigrant. Applicants residing in the U.S. under the Deferred Action Childhood Arrival (DACA) act are not eligible for this program.
2. Applicants Must Meet Income Requirements
Countable income must be less than or equal to the Family Care income standard. Refer to Medicaid Table 1 . Refer to Section M901 to determine if income is countable.
3. Applicants Do Not Have Resource Test
4. Benefits Begin The First Day Of The Application Month If Determined Eligible
Benefits begin on the first day of the application month, if eligible, and may continue through the 12 month postpartum period.
5. Applicants May Be Eligible For Retroactive Benefits
Applicants may receive retroactive Medicaid benefits if they incurred medical bills during any of the three months prior to application.
Both approved and denied applicants must be reviewed. Reviewer must verify and determine eligibility separately for each retroactive month to determine whether the case would have been eligible if an application had been made.
Retroactive benefits will not be authorized prior to the month pregnancy begins.
6. Non-Citizen Applicants Receive Limited Emergency Services
Pregnant women who are not a U.S. Citizen or a lawful present immigrant may receive emergency services, including labor and delivery. Refer to Emergency Services, Family & Children's Section M1205 for additional information.
7. Clients May Need To Cooperate With Child Support
Child support cooperation is required after the birth of the baby when the father is not in the home or when paternity has not been established, unless Good Cause is approved.
Clients must cooperate in establishing paternity and in obtaining medical support and payments. Clients must also cooperate in identifying and providing information to assist in pursuing third parties who may be liable to pay for care.
Unmarried women who give birth while on Medicaid will be required to cooperate with child support enforcement following the 12 month post-partum period, per birthing cost requirements in the statutes listed below.
Clients cannot be sanctioned during the 12 month post partum period.
8. Clients Are Waived From Cooperation If Good Cause Is Approved
Child support cooperation is not required if Good Cause is approved.
9. Clients Must Cooperate If Good Cause Is Denied
Clients may choose to do one of the following if Good Cause is denied:
Cooperate Refuse to cooperate but receive medical assistance for the children Withdraw the application
Clients not choosing to withdraw their application and still wanting medical assistance must be referred to Child Support.
10. Clients Must Be Reviewed
Clients will be reviewed at the end of the 12 month postpartum period to determine continued eligibility under another Medicaid program to include Pregnant By Choice.
Send the Pregnant By Choice Questionnaire in the month of the estimated due date or upon notification of the baby’s date of birth. The Have You Had Your Baby notice is sent 30 days after the due date when the birth of the child has not been reported.
Refer to Section M1403 for information on reviewing eligibility.
11. Clients May Lose Benefits
Pregnant Women benefits will close on the first day of the next month when any of the following occur (Refer to Section M1404 for additional information on closing cases):
Client has moved out of state. Client enters a public institution, excluding the Geriatric Hall at the State Hospital in Evanston. Client dies. Client determined no longer eligible. Client has not provided information on the date of birth of the newborn within the 12 month postpartum period.