Question about insurance/midwife payment

[pansylane]

Hi everyone! I'm not pregnant yet but we're about to start ttc #1 and I'm just trying to work out how this whole midwife payment is going to work.

The HB midwife we'll be going with accepts insurance, and she requires a payment to be made during each visit. So my confusion is where insurance comes in-- our insurance should pay for at least 70%, but is it billed AFTER the birth? So, should we have the full amount up front and pay monthly/weekly payments and then we get reimbursed later by insurance? Sorry if this is a silly question, the whole thing is just so confusing! If it helps, our insurance is with United.

Thanks for any help. :)

[MidwifeErika]

It is pretty typical to have to pay a deposit or even the entire fee during the pregnancy and then get reimbursed by your insurance after. I think that is because nearly all of us have had insurance companies claim that they would pay and then not come through and if the birth has already happened, it is nearly impossible to get the money out of the family at that time. Plus, sometimes it takes FOREVER to get paid from insurance and midwives need to have a cashflow to keep their practice going. The only way to know for sure is to ask the midwife you are looking at using to see what her payment policies are.

[pansylane]

Great that's what I thought, thank you!