Physicians who frequently refer patients to no- and low-cost state services like health insurance and child care will find that easier now that the state has launched familyresources.texas.gov, a website that puts links to those services all in one place.
For the first time, the website combines links to state services that include pregnancy care, adoption services, health insurance, parenting classes, food benefits, child support, and financial assistance.
In the past, patients have had to hunt through several websites to find services, says Houston obstetrician-gynecologist Rakhi Dimino, MD, chair of the Texas Medical Association’s Committee on Reproductive, Women’s, and Perinatal Health.
“A lot of times as an OB-gyn, when I am counseling a patient, I actively try to help them find resources and websites using their own phone,” she said. “This is one website with many resources listed in one place, so I can easily help them save it as a favorite site on their smartphone.”
The family resources site will be especially important for newly pregnant women in obtaining health care coverage through Medicaid as well as access to the Children’s Health Insurance Program and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Dr. Dimino says.
“The link to enroll in Medicaid is a really important link because a major struggle for Texas women is getting Medicaid enrollment started when they are newly pregnant,” she said. “This link may help explain the process better so that the patient can enroll quicker.”
A recent study ranked Texas 50th among all states in access to high-quality prenatal and maternal care, and one of the main reasons is the difficulties women face in getting health care coverage both before and after their hospital stay to give birth, Dr. Dimino says.
The state’s new site is a step in the right direction for addressing that problem, she says.
“There’s a lot of good information connected in one place here,” she said.