Does Jackie Griggs do VBAC *and* take insurance? (Houston area midwife)

[asherraifsmom]

Just wondering if anyone can clear this up for me from their own experience. I called their office twice but haven't been able to get a hold of anyone. A friend of mine had a c/s due to FTP, and almost died during her c/s due to blood loss and felt weird for a few months after, with her first. She is now 29 weeks pregnant with #2 and has been going with a doctor who *said* he was VBAC friendly but now is insisting she have a repeat c/s "because VBAC is dangerous" (gag) which she doesn't want. My friend has said she WANTS a midwife and WANTS to be out of the hospital but didn't know that insurance ever covered midwives. I assured her insurance does, especially in Texas. She says they have very good insurance, but i dont know with whom. I keep reading conflicting info re: finding a homebirth or birth center care provider who takes insurance AND Vbac clients.Some say they don't exist, but Jackie Griggs name keeps coming back up.

So...can anyone clarify for me? Does she take VBAC patients? Will insurance COVER her taking VBAC patients? Obviously i know it depends on her particular  insurance but just wondering if it s even possible.

Or if you know of anyone else who does, i'm interested in names. and it has to be someone who takes insurance. They *cannot* afford to pay out of pocket. They would have to UC, and she doesn't feel comfortable doing that.

Thanks!

[alegna]

Sure and absolutely.  I think all area midwives take insurance (and insurance pretty much MUST pay at their regular rate for out of network, not that they make it easy or tell you that) and I know Jackie will do VBAC.  Now- vbac can't be in the birth center last I heard.  Has to do with birth center regulations.  But at home, absolutely.

-Angela

[asherraifsmom]

thanks!

[wonderfullymade]

Yes and Yes. She does work very hard to get it covered by insurance, but it depends on the insurance... and she does take VBACs... She is also a good hands off midwife for this area. :)

[calice]

Your friend needs to take the initiative and contact a midwife. This shows she is serious about taking responsibility for her birth plans. She may or may not feel strongly about a vbac, an out of hospital birth or using a midwife. If your friend truly wants a home birth she should contact the midwives. If she wants a hospital vbac I strongly suggest LBJ or Ben Taub. They will be in network with her insurance and LBJ does more vbacs than any other hospital in America.

[alegna]

LBJ will do vbacs.... but it's not very baby friendly or nursing friendly last I heard.

-Angela

[merojas]

Jackie does VBACs. I know in the past she was quietly taking VBAC patients at her birth center but had a problem last year (with a rupture I believe - in TX birth centers are not supposed to take VBACs) and so she had stopped attending VBACs at the birth center but will do it in the home.

But the great thing about Houston is that there are a lot of homebirth midwives that will support VBACs and take insurance. Some names I know are Carol Schumacher, Chris Duffy, Cathy Rude, Natalie Womack, Pat Jones. There are some great websites to look at:

http://www.houbirth.org/

http://www.texasmidwives.com/findamidwife.asp?search=zc&zcType=citystate&state=Texas&city=HOUSTON&scwithin=25

[shannon84]

I would encourage, regardless of who you go to, research well the provider's you are looking at and ask how many times they have dealt with issues such as placental abruption and uterine rupture.  A couple of the above midwives have had those occur in VBAC clients and did not handle the situation appropriately and the results were traumatic.  Ask for recommendations.  Hope your friend is able to find the perfect midwife for her VBAC!