Blue Cross Taking Birth Care Alexandria (VA) out of network March 2009- Help Stop it!

[mariacm]

I am ttc and not yet pregnant, but thought this was important info for this group to know.

I was told by BirthCare Alexandria that they will be out of network for Blue Cross Blue Shield as of March 9, 2009.

This will severely limit options for out of hospital birth in the metropolitan DC area.

For more information on how to help prevent this from happening, google "blue cross birth care"

Thank you!

[azohri]

Thanks for posting this - I'm planning a homebirth with BirthCare this summer and have BCBS. I've already written and sent a letter to BCBS.

But even more upsetting, I have heard that BirthCare may have to close down entirely if they lose BCBS. So if we have any activists for out of hospital birth options who feel like writing a letter to BCBS, we've been told that you don't have to be a BCBS member and your help would be appreciated!

[mariacm]

So are they covering your homebirth??

I will be writing a letter tonight!

[PaigeC]

I don't have BCBS but I'd write a letter - what address is best?

[MamaMonica]

Moved to Activism.

[mariacm]

Address

CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
10455 Mill Run Circle
Owings Mills, MD 21117-5559

Address letters to:
Shawn McLeod, Director of Provider Information & Credentialing
Susan Zichos, Supervisor of Provider Information & Credentialing
Jason Gajewski, Manager of Provider Information & Credentialing

[azohri]

If they make them out of network, BCBS would supposedly cover it as out of network (at about 70% for us).

[mariacm]

We don't even have the out of network option in the basic plan... and even if we switched to standard, we'd pay an extra $1500 in premiums for the year, plus the 30% which presumably would be in the thousands as well... so it still would be unaffordable. I hope there's enough of an outcry (ie. letters sent) to prevent this from happening.

I wonder if there's some way to get an article in the paper, like they did with the surgery coverage change, which then resulted in outcry, which triggered change??

Anyone have any contacts to get some info out there to the general public??

[athansor]

This happened to the hospital where I was about to have ds 2 last spring. BCBS and the hospital went into talks, and then announced that the hospital would be out of network.

I was pretty panicked at the time, as I had a great OB and was pretty close to birth. I thought I would have to try and find a new plan that late in the game, but they told me that I was exempt because I was in the third trimester. (e.g. I was able to stay with my dr. and hospital at an in-network rate).

There was such an outcry though, as so many people were covered by BCBS in the town that the parties gave in at the last minute and the hopsital stayed in the network.

[mariacm]

Originally Posted by athansor

This happened to the hospital where I was about to have ds 2 last spring. BCBS and the hospital went into talks, and then announced that the hospital would be out of network.

I was pretty panicked at the time, as I had a great OB and was pretty close to birth. I thought I would have to try and find a new plan that late in the game, but they told me that I was exempt because I was in the third trimester. (e.g. I was able to stay with my dr. and hospital at an in-network rate).

There was such an outcry though, as so many people were covered by BCBS in the town that the parties gave in at the last minute and the hopsital stayed in the network.

I hope it works this time too, to stop BCBS from changing BirthCare's network status!! Anyone reading this who hasn't written a letter to protest, please do so!!!

[4daughters]

I have horizon BCBS and they did not cover my homebirth last year. I only squeezed $300 from them.