Maya, Dennis, and Megan George.
At 24 weeks pregnant, Megan George was starting to prep for her baby’s arrival, which included applying for Rx Kids, a program providing cash prescriptions to moms and babies in her community of Flint and across the state of Michigan. After completing a quick online application, Megan was asked to provide additional documents to verify her pregnancy and residency. Before she could complete those steps, her pregnancy took an unexpected turn and she went into labor.
Her daughter, Maya, arrived at just 24 weeks.
“I was still trying to get them the ultrasound with all the right details when everything happened,” George said. “Two days after I sent in the paperwork, Maya was here. I ended up calling to say, ‘Well, instead of an ultrasound, I have a birth certificate now.’ They were wonderful to work with and got us in the program right away.”
Maya spent 116 days in the Hurley Medical Center Neonatal Intensive Care Unit before coming home. For Megan and her husband Dennis, those months were overwhelming. But Rx Kids had provided $1,500 for a prenatal payment and knowing they would continue to provide $500 a month for the first year of Maya’s life gave them the reassurance they needed to focus on their family.
“The last thing you want to think about when your baby is in the NICU is money,” Megan said. “Rx Kids took that weight off our shoulders so we could just be parents.”
A difficult beginning
Maya’s time in Hurley’s NICU was long and uncertain. The hospital’s neonatal program is one of the most advanced in the region, caring for more than 400 premature and critically ill newborns each year with a team of highly trained doctors, nurses and specialists.
“The staff at Hurley were amazing,” Megan said. “They made sure we didn’t have to stress about bills while we were there. Their focus was helping us bring Maya home healthy, and they did everything they could to support us.”
For the Georges, Rx Kids was a lifeline that extended beyond the hospital.
Dennis said at first he wasn’t sure the program was real.
“When we first heard about it, I thought it was a gimmick. It just seemed too good to be true,” he said. “But when we found out it wasn’t, we were excited. As first-time parents, we were already nervous and anxious about supporting our baby, and this gave us a safety net.”
That safety net became even more important when Maya came home. “We had to spend close to $300 on special formula every three weeks after she got out of the NICU,” Dennis said. “That money went straight to keeping us afloat during those first months. It was a big, big help.”
Building stability
When Maya finally came home, the Georges discovered another benefit of the cash.
“Because we had some support through insurance and Hurley, we didn’t have to use all the Rx Kids money for medical bills,” Megan said. “We were able to save some and put it toward daycare later. That made a huge difference when I returned to work.”
Both Megan and Dennis work full-time. Megan’s job is rooted in community service, which gave her a unique perspective on the program.
“Even though we’re working parents and make too much to qualify for other kinds of assistance, Rx Kids was still there for us,” she said. “There’s no catch. It’s easy, it’s helpful, and it meets families where they’re at.”
Dennis agreed. “The monthly support gave us breathing room,” he said. “It helped us focus on our family instead of constantly juggling what bill to pay next.”
Rx Kids’ impact in Flint
Launched in January 2024, Rx Kids is the nation’s first community-wide prenatal and infant cash prescription program. Every pregnant person in Flint can receive $1,500 during pregnancy and $500 per month throughout their baby’s first year.
To date, the program has distributed more than $10 million directly to Flint families. Research has shown the cash improves maternal and infant health, reduces financial stress, and generates millions in long-term savings by stabilizing families.
“Rx Kids is already transforming lives in Flint,” said Dr. Mona Hanna, director of Rx Kids and associate dean of public health at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. “By giving families financial stability during pregnancy and infancy, we are improving health outcomes, strengthening communities, and proving that investing in kids from the very beginning works.”
Looking ahead
Megan said she hopes more families across Michigan will have access to the same support.
“I tell people all the time: do it if you can,” she said. “It’s easy to apply, it helps in so many ways, and there really is no catch. Every new parent deserves that kind of peace of mind.”
Dennis added that programs like Rx Kids are essential in today’s economy. “The cost of living is so high that families are weighing whether to go to college, buy a house, or have children. Programs like this encourage families to grow and help communities thrive,” he said.
For the Georges, the program gave them something more valuable than money.
“Rx Kids allowed us to just be present for Maya,” Megan said. “That’s what mattered most.”
