Insurance coverage in NJ for homebirths - Aetna

[Mommay]

One mw tells me that Aetna doesn't pay for homebirths and that the only success they had was 25% coverage. Another mw I'm considering going to says that Aetna has always paid 80%. They both can't be right, so who do I believe? Has anyone had dealings with Aetna?

[SharonAnne]

Hey Laureen! I'm in NJ, too, and also have Aetna. I checked with Aetna themselves, and HB is NOT covered AT ALL. Some midwives will bill them their full amount for just prenatal care, though, and kinda sorta not TELL them that they're billing them for a home birth. Does that make sense?

HTH

[Mommay]

That does make sense. One of the mws I saw is a CNM and the other is a lay mw, and apparently Aetna will allow the CNM to give "prenatal" services, while not the lay mw. Thus the discrepancy. Out of curiosity, where did you have your birth? The choices are so limited around here.

[Llyra]

I'm also in NJ, I also have Aetna, and I also tried and couldn't get coverage for a home birth. I wound up having Julia in the hospital anyway, because we had serious complications, but before all that arose I had planned on having her at home.