When your girlfriend finds out she is pregnant, you may start thinking about the practical side of what happens next. One question that can come up quickly is money, especially if she is considering abortion and you are wondering whether your health insurance could help cover the cost.
The answer depends on whose name is on the insurance plan and who is eligible for coverage. Having health insurance yourself does not automatically mean your girlfriend can use that policy.
Before focusing only on cost, it’s crucial for your girlfriend to learn more about her pregnancy and options.
At Hands of Hope PRC, she can receive a self-administered, medical-grade pregnancy test and limited ultrasound to learn more about her pregnancy. She can also get information about abortion, parenting, and adoption.
Get in touch to make a free and confidential appointment today.
Can Your Insurance Cover Your Girlfriend?
In most cases, your girlfriend cannot use your health insurance simply because you are in a relationship.
Health insurance plans have specific rules about who can be covered. Spouses may qualify for coverage, and some plans extend coverage to legally recognized domestic partners. An unmarried girlfriend or boyfriend generally does not qualify as a dependent under a standard health insurance plan.
Coverage rules can vary between plans, so the best way to know exactly who is covered is to contact your insurance company and ask about the eligibility requirements. If you are considering adding a partner to your plan, ask whether marriage or another qualifying life event would be required.
What Pregnancy Health Coverage Could She Have?
Perhaps your girlfriend is considering abortion because she has financial concerns. If she is worried about money, it’s important to know that more help for paths like parenting is available than she may realize.
For example, she may still have ways to get help with pregnancy-related healthcare costs in North Carolina.
Medicaid for Pregnant Women (MPW) provides coverage for eligible pregnant women, including pregnancy-related medical care such as prenatal visits, labor and delivery, and postpartum care. Eligibility depends on factors such as income, household circumstances, and residency.
North Carolina also has programs that can help with needs beyond insurance. The NC Department of Health and Human Services provides pregnancy-related resources, including maternity housing assistance for eligible women who need a place to live during pregnancy.
Hands of Hope PRC can also help you learn about community resources that may be available to your girlfriend and provide free pregnancy services while she works through your next steps.
Confirm the Pregnancy Details First
Before sorting out insurance or worrying about the cost of care, there is useful information to gather about the pregnancy itself.
A home pregnancy test can confirm that pregnancy hormones are present, but there is much more to learn. Your girlfriend may still need to find out how far along she is, whether the pregnancy is developing in the uterus, and if the pregnancy is progressing.
An ultrasound can help answer these questions, and this information is particularly important because not every pregnancy develops normally.
For example, an ectopic pregnancy occurs when the pregnancy implants outside the uterus, most often in a fallopian tube. A ruptured ectopic pregnancy can cause life-threatening internal bleeding and requires urgent medical treatment.
There is another reason a positive test does not tell the whole story. Human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG, can remain in the body after a miscarriage, so a pregnancy test may continue to show positive even after the pregnancy has ended.
At Hands of Hope PRC, women who have received a positive pregnancy test can receive a free, confidential limited ultrasound to learn more about their pregnancy and have a clearer picture of what comes next.
Get the Information You Need at Hands of Hope PRC
An unplanned pregnancy can bring questions about insurance, finances, relationships, and the future all at once. You and your girlfriend do not have to answer every question right now; start by getting the facts.
At Hands of Hope PRC, your girlfriend can receive free pregnancy services, learn more about her pregnancy, and discuss her options in a supportive environment. Our team can also help connect you with resources in the community.
Contact us today to schedule a confidential appointment.
Hands of Hope PRC does not provide or refer for abortions.