An overview of Planning for Healthy Babies [Jan. 2012]

An Overview of
Planning for Healthy Babies

P4HBSM Overview
The Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) is proud to offer Planning for Healthy Babies. P4HBSM fills a critical gap in health care for underinsured and uninsured Georgians by expanding Medicaid eligibility to women who qualify for family planning services in order to reduce Georgia's low birth weight rate. Georgia's low birth weight (LBW) and very low birth weight (VLBW) rates have become a growing concern over the years for the Department's Medicaid Division and health care providers throughout the state. LBW is defined as babies born weighing less than five pounds, eight ounces and VLBW is the category of babies born weighing less than three pounds, five ounces. Birth spacing impacts low birth weight rates.
The number of LBW babies in Georgia climbed between 2003 and 2007 from 12,205 to 14,351. Based on 2007 birth data, the Kaiser Family Foundation ranked Georgia as 38th in the nation (out of 51 D.C. was ranked equivalent to a state) in the number of LBW births. Several southwest Georgia counties have LBW percentages of total births ranging from 14.9 percent to 22.5 percent. African American women in Georgia have a LBW rate that is twice that of white women.

A possible solution
Charged with the responsibility to coordinate a statewide effort to improve Georgia's VLBW and LBW rates, DCH's Medicaid Division created P4HB,SM a statewide family planning program that offers contraceptives, vitamins and folic acid, counseling and referrals to social services. A select group of P4HB participants receive primary health care services and more from the program which began January 2011.
What is the Planning for Healthy Babies program?
Planning for Healthy Babies provides no-cost family planning services to eligible women in Georgia. A woman can enroll in either:

Family planning

Inter-pregnancy care (IPC) includes family planning

and Resource Mother

SM

Case Management and Resource Mother only for

current Medicaid recipients

Georgia Department of Community Health | 2 Peachtree Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30303 | www.dch.georgia.gov | 404-656-4507 January 2012

An Overview of P4HB,SM Continued

What's covered?
Women enrolled in the P4HBSM program are eligible for family planning services covered by the Georgia Medicaid program including:
Family planning initial exam and annual exam
Family planning and family planning related services including contraceptives and supplies
Follow-up family planning visits
Pregnancy tests and pap smears
Testing for STD(s)
T reatment and follow-up for all STD(s) except HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis
Counseling and referrals to social services and primary health care providers
Sterilization
Family planning pharmacy visits
Vitamins/folic acid
Select immunizations for participants ages 19 and 20. Participants age 18 receive vaccines at no cost
In addition to the family planning services listed above, women who give birth to a baby weighing less than 3 pounds, 5 ounces on or after January 1, 2011, are eligible for IPC services, which offer:
Primary care (5 office/outpatient visits)
Substance abuse treatment
Resource Mother services (case management)
Limited dental services
Prescription drugs for the treatment of chronic diseases (non-family planning)
Women who currently receive Medicaid benefits and give birth to a baby weighing less than 3 pounds, 5 ounces on or after January 1, 2011, are only eligible for Resource Mother services. The Resource Mother offers support to mothers and provides them with information on parenting, nutrition and healthy lifestyles. Resource Mothers also offer the following services:

Meet with P4HB participants via phone or in person to increase their adoption of healthy behaviors, including healthy eating choices and smoking cessation
Follow-up to make sure the baby receives regular "wellbaby" check ups and immunizations
Referrals to community resources such as WIC
Provides the mother with the peer and emotional support needed to meet the health demands of her VLBW baby and more
Who is eligible?
Women ages 18 through 44 who meet monthly family income limits
Women who do not receive Medicaid are eligible for family planning services
Women who give birth to a baby weighing less than 3 pounds, 5 ounces and do not receive Medicaid or are losing Medicaid coverage, are eligible for IPC services
Women who receive Medicaid and give birth to a baby weighing less than 3 pounds, 5 ounces are only eligible for Resource Mother services
How do I apply?
You can apply online at planning4healthybabies.org or pick up an application at your local:
Public health department
Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) office
Completed applications and required documents should be faxed to 888-744-2102 or mailed to:
Planning for Healthy Babies Post Office Box 1810 Atlanta, Georgia 30301-1810
Where can I go for more information?
For more information, visit dch.georgia.gov/p4hb or call 877-P4H-B101 or 877-744-2101.