Moms and Babies

All Kids has two programs for pregnant women, regardless of citizenship or immigration status:

• Medicaid Presumptive Eligibility (MPE) offers immediate, temporary coverage for outpatient healthcare for pregnant women.

• Moms & Babies covers healthcare for women while they are pregnant for up to 12 months after the baby is born. Moms & Babies coverage is the full Medicaid benefit package, including covers both outpatient healthcare, and inpatient hospital care, including labor and delivery, primary and specialty care, and prescription drugs.
  

 

These two programs give pregnant women the care they need to keep their babies healthy. You can apply for both programs at the same time. If you are eligible, MPE will cover you for pregnancy care starting the day you apply until your Moms & Babies application is reviewed. Please continue reading to get more information about healthcare for pregnant women.

MPE is a program for pregnant women. MPE offers immediate, temporary coverage for outpatient health services to pregnant women who meet income requirements. There are no co-payments or premiums in MPE.

You must go to an MPE provider. The MPE provider will decide if you can get MPE. You must tell the provider your family's gross monthly income. If you are pregnant and meet the income requirements for MPE, you can get MPE.

1. You do not have to be a citizen or a legal immigrant to get MPE.

2. You do not have to have a Social Security number to get MPE.

If you have a doctor or clinic, ask the office staff if the doctor or clinic is an MPE provider. If your doctor or clinic is not an MPE provider, or if you do not have a doctor or clinic, call the All Kids Hotline at 1-866-255-5437. A Hotline representative will help you find an MPE provider where you live.

If you meet the income requirements for MPE, you can get services right away. That means you can get services the same day you sign the application if the MPE provider says you are eligible.

You can get outpatient services like prenatal checkups, doctor visits, lab tests, prenatal vitamins, medicine, specialty medical care, eye care, dental care, emergency room care, mental health and substance abuse services, transportation to get medical care and other services. You cannot get hospital services, like labor and delivery, from the MPE program. To get hospital services, you must apply for Moms & Babies.

You can get outpatient services starting on the day the MPE provider tells you that you are eligible, until the last day of the next month.

Example 1: On October 1, you sign the MPE application and the MPE provider says you are eligible. You can get outpatient services from October 1 until November 30.

Example 2: On October 31, you sign the MPE application and the MPE provider says you are eligible. You can get outpatient services from October 31 until November 30.

Your coverage under MPE will end.

Moms & Babies is a program for pregnant women and their babies. Moms & Babies pays for both outpatient and inpatient hospital services for women while they are pregnant, and for up to 12 months after the baby is born. It also pays for services to babies for the first year of the baby's life, if the mother is covered by Moms & Babies when the baby is born. There are no co-payments or premiums in Moms & Babies.

If you already have MPE, it is important to apply for Moms & Babies, too. MPE is temporary and pays for only outpatient services. With Moms & Babies, all healthcare services will be covered while you are pregnant, and for up to 12 months after your baby is born.

An All Kids Application Agent can help you apply. Many doctors or clinics that care for pregnant women are All Kids Application Agents and can help you complete an application. If you do not have a doctor or clinic, you can:

1. Call the All Kids Hotline at 1-866-255-5437 to find a doctor or clinic.

2. Call the All Kids Hotline at 1-866-255-5437 to find an All Kids Application Agent in your area who can help you complete the application.

3. Complete the application yourself and mail it to All Kids.

4. Make an appointment at your local Department of Human Services (DHS) office.

If you are pregnant and meet the income requirements for Moms & Babies, you can get Moms & Babies.

1. You do not have to be a citizen or a legal immigrant to get Moms & Babies.

2. You do not need to have a Social Security number to get Moms & Babies.

If you want other services, like cash assistance or food stamps, you must go to your local DHS office to complete an application.

If you already have MPE when you submit a Moms & Babies application, your MPE coverage is automatically extended while your Moms & Babies application is reviewed. You can keep getting care from your doctor or clinic while All Kids decides if you can get Moms & Babies.

You will be sent a written notice. If you are eligible, the notice will tell you the date that your Moms & Babies coverage begins.

You can get outpatient services like prenatal checkups, doctor visits, lab tests, prenatal vitamins, medicine, specialty medical care, eye care, dental care, emergency room care, mental health and substance abuse services, transportation to get medical care and other services. You can also get hospital services, including labor and delivery. Your baby can get checkups, well-baby care, shots and many other services.

You can also sign up for text4baby and get FREE text messages sent directly to your cell phone. You will get tips on prenatal and infant care, immunization, postpartum depression, nutrition, oral health, quitting smoking, safety and more. 

1. For more information about text4baby see the Maternal Child Health Healthy Births Web page.

2. To register for text4baby

You may be able to get coverage for services beginning up to three months before you apply. You can get services throughout your pregnancy and for up to 12 months after you have your baby. If you have Moms & Babies when your baby is born, your baby can get All Kids for one year.

• 410 ILCS 50/3.4 Rights of Women; Pregnancy and Childbirth (pdf)

All Kids Hotline 1-866-ALL-KIDS (1-866-255-5437)

TTY: 1-877-204-1012