Blood Pregnancy test needed?

[Schweet]

I recently heard a rumor that some programs require a blood pregnancy test be performed in order for the person to be covered, has anyone heard of this? I was told this is the reason why women will come into the ED even after the home pregnancy tests were positive. By the way, I am new to the ED, so if this is a well known topic then please forgive my ignorance.

[PetiteOpRN]

Medicaid.

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

I've heard this. What a stupid way to have to make Medicaid to pay. The urine drugstore test kits are $10-20. But they're "free" if you go to the ER-and (tangle the system for a couple of hours.)

[PetiteOpRN]

No, it's not the cost that's the issue. It's the fact that DFS does not consider it valid unless it comes from a doctor's office or the health department. You can literally have a baby emerging from you and DFS will not consider you pregnant without the proper documentation.

If the health department has odd hours or is inaccessible, and there is a 3 month wait to get into the OB's office, the ED might be the woman's only option.

[TLSpaz, ASN, RN]

I've heard this. What a stupid way to have to make Medicaid to pay. The urine drugstore test kits are $10-20. But they're "free" if you go to the ER-and (tangle the system for a couple of hours.)

Heck, I was at Dollar Tree a few days ago, and I saw pregnancy tests there...for ONE DOLLAR!

I found out I was pregnant with my second child with a $3 pregnancy test from Dollar General!

[TLSpaz, ASN, RN]

No, it's not the cost that's the issue. It's the fact that DFS does not consider it valid unless it comes from a doctor's office or the health department. You can literally have a baby emerging from you and DFS will not consider you pregnant without the proper documentation.

If the health department has odd hours or is inaccessible, and there is a 3 month wait to get into the OB's office, the ED might be the woman's only option.

This may be true to a degree, but it's hard to imagine that any OB office who accepts Medicaid patients would make a patient wait three months just for a nurse visit to take a pregnancy test. It's been awhile since I worked in an OBGYN office, but the way it worked for our patients was as follows: The pt called in either stating that she had taken a home pregnancy test OR that she suspected she may be pregnant, at which time the pt was scheduled for a "nurse visit" for a confirmatory test. The test did not have to be a bHCG; a UPT was sufficient. If the UPT was positive, the pt was given a form confirming pregnancy and then taken to the reception desk to be scheduled for the next available "New OB" visit.

Now, at the time I was working FT in the OBGYN office, I also had a PRN position in the ER (no openings at the time for FT ER so I took PRN just to get a foot in the door, but I digress..). In my experience, the pts who came to the ER wanting just a pregnancy test (whether blood or urine) USUALLY fell in to one of three categories: 1)Newly pregnant for the first time and scared s***less, thereby making the situation an emergency in the pts mind 2)Pregnant but too impatient to wait a day or two days to get in for a nurse visit in an office or 3)Pregnant but claiming some sort of schedule conflict/transportation issue/lack of childcare that, in the pts opinion, made going to an office visit during regular business hours impossible and/or inconvenient.

I really don't think the problem lies in Medicaid's requirement for confirmation. I think the problem lies in the fact that our society in general has a "fast-food, drive-thru" mentality. We want what we want and we want it NOW, by God!!!

[Schweet]

No, it's not the cost that's the issue. It's the fact that DFS does not consider it valid unless it comes from a doctor's office or the health department. You can literally have a baby emerging from you and DFS will not consider you pregnant without the proper documentation.

If the health department has odd hours or is inaccessible, and there is a 3 month wait to get into the OB's office, the ED might be the woman's only option.

That was exactly what I heard. It's awful for both the ED (could be serving more appropriate cases) and for the patient (who will have to wait for hours just for a valid prego test). Lose-lose situation really. I take it this is our tax dollars at work.

[LilgirlRN, ADN, RN]

yes the patient comes in with c/o belly pain, nausea vomiting etc. when really she should just say that she doesn't believe the home test or she doesn't want to wait at the health department.