VBAC and Insurance Question

[alicia9178]

So...if the rest of my pregnancy can calm down and my placenta can behave I really am thinking that I need to just do whatever it takes to have this VBAC...I have had one successful VBAC in the past with my last baby and it seams me that just because of where I live I am limited on my options. SO...I am contemplating just showing up to a hospital that is 2 hours away from me that has a 17% C-section rate and is VERY VBAC friendly. HOWEVER, if I do this can my insurance refuse to cover the delivery as it is out of network? My thought is that my labors have mostly begun with my waterbreaking. I could show up there and say I was in the area and with it being my 7th birth I did not feel it was safe to try to 2 hours all the way to my hospital/Dr. I believe it *should* be covered as an emergency??? WHat do you think? I mean my goodness....if I broke my leg I would not drive all the way to an in-network hospital. Thoughts?

[LisaSedai]

Well my policy is that they won't pay anything if you go to the "out of network" hospital except in the case of an emergency - they will pay if you notify them from the emergency room.

Insurance companies are SO DUMB. They would rather pay $10,000 for a rcs than $2,000 for a VBAC. They'd rather pay out the wazoo for OBs and hospitals than MW and homebirths. It is no wonder we have the most expensive health care in the world and we don't have the best results.

[nashvillemidwife]

They only have to cover the charges until you are stabilized, then they can require that you be transferred to a hospital that is in-network. If you show up so far into labor that there's no time to transport you to another hospital then they can make you and the baby transfer after the birth.

[AlexisT]

I've heard of insurers getting very difficult with claims like this, when women travel after their 8th month of pregnancy. It's considered a foreseeable circumstance. You may need to clarify with your insurance what their travel policy is.

[smeep]

I would call and ask. Perhaps say that for business reasons you will be in that city a lot around the time of birth and wanted to go ahead and get the information as a "just in case" even though you think it probably won't matter. If you could call anonymously and say I have X plan and ask that way it might be better. Then again I rarely deal with insurance companies (I can't afford "real" insurance ) so perhaps someone has a better suggestion.

[mizznicole]

Maybe consider negotiating and pre-paying with the hospital. Better than a denied claim.