1370 Pregnancy and Prenatal Care

Georgia State Seal

Georgia Division of Family and Children Services
TANF Policy Manual

Policy Title:

Pregnancy and Prenatal Care

Effective Date:

September 2023

Chapter:

1300

Policy Number:

1370

Previous Policy Number(s):

MT 72

Updated or Reviewed in MT:

MT-74

Requirements

A pregnant woman or pregnant minor must receive prenatal care to be included in the assistance unit (AU).

Basic Considerations

An individual who reports being pregnant must receive prenatal care or make an appointment to receive prenatal care.

The requirement to report pregnancy and the requirement to receive prenatal care must be explained at application, at each review, and when it is reported that an individual is pregnant.

Pregnant Individuals

Verification and Documentation

An individual who reports being pregnant and the fetus(es) are considered for TANF eligibility, therefore the number of fetuses must be verified. Therefore, third party verification of the number of fetuses is required.

Client statement may be accepted for pregnancy and prenatal care. However, verification of the number of fetuses must be verified by third party verification. Verification must include identifying information such as the customer’s name, the date, and the number of fetuses (if the customer reports that she is carrying more than one fetus).

If the customer reports that she is carrying more than one fetus, but the third-party verification provided does not indicate the number of fetuses, and no other verification has been provided to verify the number of fetuses, the agency is only able to include one fetus in the AU until further verification is provided that verifies the actual number of fetuses.

Prenatal Care for Applicants

The requirement to receive prenatal care is met if the individual received prenatal care within 30 days prior to the date of application or has scheduled an appointment for prenatal care.

Prenatal Care for Recipients

A recipient should report her pregnancy within 10 days of becoming aware that she is pregnant.

A client who reports that she is pregnant meets the requirement if she has received prenatal care within the last 30 days or has scheduled an appointment for prenatal care.

Thereafter, prenatal visits are monitored at each review of the TANF Family Service Plan (TFSP)-Work Plan. The requirement to receive prenatal care is met if the pregnant woman or pregnant minor has attended at least one prenatal checkup within 90 days prior to the TFSP-Work Plan review.

A pregnant individual who fails to meet this requirement without good cause and who is a member of the standard filing unit (SFU) is penalized until the requirement is met or good cause is established.

Penalty

An individual who is not a member of the SFU is not penalized but is excluded from the AU.

Refer to Section 1670, Budgeting the Income of a Penalized Individual.

Good Cause

A pregnant woman or a pregnant minor may have good cause for not meeting the requirement to receive prenatal care. Good cause includes, but is not limited to, the following circumstances:

  • The pregnant woman or pregnant minor and the county department are unable to find a provider willing to accept her as a Medicaid patient. The statement of the Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS) worker responsible for finding Medicaid providers is accepted.

  • The pregnant woman or pregnant minor does not have transportation and/or childcare. Her oral or written statement of the lack of transportation and/or childcare is accepted.

  • The pregnant woman or pregnant minor has religious objections to medical care. Her written statement affirming this fact is accepted.

A pregnant woman or pregnant minor may select a prenatal care provider of her choice. If she is unable to find a provider, the county department must assist her in obtaining a provider who will accept her as a Medicaid patient, if she receives Medicaid.

Procedures

Explain the following at application and review:

  • the requirement to report that an AU member is pregnant, and

  • the requirement that an AU member who is or who becomes pregnant is required to receive prenatal care.

Verification and Documentation

TANF Orientation should include information about the requirement to report pregnancy and the requirement to receive prenatal care.

Client statement may be accepted for prenatal care. Document the prenatal care appointment dates and that prenatal care was received within the specified time frames or that an appointment for prenatal care has been scheduled. If receipt of prenatal care is questionable, verification must be requested.

If an applicant who is pregnant fails to receive prenatal care, a penalty will be applied that will cause them to become ineligible for cash assistance. Approve cash assistance for the other AU members.

If a recipient fails to receive prenatal care, apply a penalty to the pregnant woman or pregnant minor following timely notice.