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        In Utah, more than 70 percent of interpretation costs are paid through federal match money, not Utah tax dollars. Health program clients and providers can download the new brochures at http://www.health.utah.gov/cmh/multilinguallibrary/topic/multicultural.htm. Printed copies are available by calling 1-888-222-2542 or emailing cmh@utah.gov.  To learn more about translation benefits, call Medicaid at 1-800-662-9651 or visit http://health.utah.gov/medicaid/provhtml/interpreter.html.

                                

                                                              Information submitted by: April Bennett, MPA

                                                              Center for Multicultural Health, UDOH

         

 

 

 

 

 

       According to the Utah Health Access Survey, almost 90,000 Utah women of childbearing

age were without health insurance in 2006.  Utah Hispanic women are much more likely to be uninsured; of the women who reported they had no insurance 46.8% were Hispanic versus 11.8% non-Hispanic.

 

  Women without insurance are less likely to seek the preventive health services needed to insure a healthy pregnancy outcome. We now know that although prenatal care is important, it’s too little too late – preconception healthcare is needed to have a healthy baby and Mom.

 

     The majority of fetal organs are formed during first 12 weeks of pregnancy, a time that many women don’t know their pregnant yet. Women with chronic conditions such as diabetes or hypertension must be well controlled before pregnancy to insure a healthy outcome.

 

     To learn about two programs that provide insurance coverage for Utahans go to www.health.utah.gov/pcn  or www.health.utah.gov/upp to see if you qualify.  Another resource is Utah’s Health Care Safety Net, a source that may be able to assist you in locating the healthcare resources that you need.  Go to http://health.utah.gov/safetynet/public/index.htm  to locate a provider near you.

 

      Remember for a healthy baby, Mom must be in optimal health before pregnancy!

 

                                                                     Information submitted by: Lois Bloebaum BSN, MPA

                                                                   Manager, Reproductive Health Program/UDOH

 

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THE CONNECTION/november 2007    ISSUE#17