Dh new job and possible health insurance

[slave2myprincess]

So dh is suppose to be getting this new job in GA. i just found out his options for health insurance. I was wondering if anyone would know if they cover a HB. i'm going to do some research as well but was wondering if any had any info on them

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia
Cigna HealthCare of Georgia
Kaiser Permanente

Thanks ladies !!! i'm off to investigate !!!

[GOPLawyer]

I don't know about the others but I went through one pregnancy w/ Kaiser (MD/DC/VA) and it was horrific. No, they absolutely do NOT cover HB. Honestly, my blood pressure goes up just thinking about Kaiser and they way they treated me.

[paquerette]

Are you living in GA already? I had heard that midwifery is "under the radar" there so I don't think insurance would be likely to cover, if that is indeed the case.

[slave2myprincess]

Thank you ladies for the responses. i know nothing about insurance and how they work. But i do know that midwives are under the radar in Ga. Im just trying to come up with something because as of right now i don't think we can afford a HB. And i havn't told dh that we might have to pay out of pocket. So i'm trying to investigate every route.

[phatchristy]

Originally Posted by slave2myprincess

Thank you ladies for the responses. i know nothing about insurance and how they work. But i do know that midwives are under the radar in Ga. Im just trying to come up with something because as of right now i don't think we can afford a HB. And i havn't told dh that we might have to pay out of pocket. So i'm trying to investigate every route.

A midwife may be more affordable over there, I have a friend who paid out of pocket for her birth, and her midwife was more like $2,000....in comparison to down where I am where it runs $3,500-4,500!

[texaspeach]

we have BCBS and they will pay for HB at out of network rates because it is required by law in my state (in GA, I think you would have a very hard time getting them to pay because midwifery is unregulated). with BCBS you generally chose btwn an HMO and a PPO - with a PPO you can see who ever you want, but depending on if they are considered in or out of network you'll have a different cost. Cigna also has PPO and HMO plans.

Kaiser is an HMO. you pay a co pay at each visit instead of a % of the total cost (as with a PPO) but you have to see their doctors/midwives and use their hospital. You have a lot less choices in your care with an HMO. keep in mind too that kaiser has "midwives" - they are certified nurse midwives who work in hospitals. in what I've seen from other people, it is a very medical experience bound by a lot of hospital policy. just because someone is a midwife, doesn't mean they aren't going to be able to provide you with the experience you are looking for.

That's a way over simplified version of how it works.

this website explains how insurance works

[slave2myprincess]

Originally Posted by texaspeach

we have BCBS and they will pay for HB at out of network rates because it is required by law in my state (in GA, I think you would have a very hard time getting them to pay because midwifery is unregulated). with BCBS you generally chose btwn an HMO and a PPO - with a PPO you can see who ever you want, but depending on if they are considered in or out of network you'll have a different cost. Cigna also has PPO and HMO plans.

Kaiser is an HMO. you pay a co pay at each visit instead of a % of the total cost (as with a PPO) but you have to see their doctors/midwives and use their hospital. You have a lot less choices in your care with an HMO. keep in mind too that kaiser has "midwives" - they are certified nurse midwives who work in hospitals. in what I've seen from other people, it is a very medical experience bound by a lot of hospital policy. just because someone is a midwife, doesn't mean they aren't going to be able to provide you with the experience you are looking for.

That's a way over simplified version of how it works.

this website explains how insurance works

Oh thank you so much !!! That helped me out alot because i was so lost !!!
Yes i am thinking that the HB would be around 1500 -2000. I am willing to get a part-time job out there to pay for it if i have no other route to go. Thank You !!!

[devilish_fetish]

Originally Posted by paquerette

Are you living in GA already? I had heard that midwifery is "under the radar" there so I don't think insurance would be likely to cover, if that is indeed the case.

I live in GA and my ins is covering my HB. BTW, i have united healthcare. HBs are under the radar here, but ins still covers them, depending on your ins and how you "work" it.

Eta: The price for a homebirth here is 2,000-2,500 for most midwives, but that includes everything (all prenatal visits, birth, and postnatal visits). The only thing i'm having to pay for myself is my birth kit, birthing tub (i'm renting an aquadoula) and supplements. Most of the midwives WILL work with you on a payment plan, some even letting you pay a portion after the birth i think. I can give you the names of a few midwives that i know take ins and you can ask them their experiences. There's also a yahoo group for one of my midwives and the women on there have shared their experiences with getting different insurance companies to pay for their homebirths. Whichever company you go with, it's my opinion you'd have more luck getting a ppo to pay for it rather than an hmo.

ETA2: I would x-post this in the georgia finding your tribe area... other moms there could tell you their ins and whether or not it paid for their hb's.

[GOPLawyer]

keep in mind too that kaiser has "midwives" - they are certified nurse midwives who work in hospitals. in what I've seen from other people, it is a very medical experience bound by a lot of hospital policy. just because someone is a midwife, doesn't mean they aren't going to be able to provide you with the experience you are looking for.

That's a way over simplified version of how it works.

this website explains how insurance works

I was so happy to find out Kaiswer had midwives. ....then the first words out her mouth were, "Why don't you just schedule a c/s?" Definitely more medwife than midwife.

[slave2myprincess]

oh wow !! i don't think i will be using Kaiser. i havn't been hearing good things about them.