Anyone else NOT have maternity insurance coverage?

[texanatheart]

With DS, we had a hospital birth and had insurance through my employer. This time we're hoping to have a homebirth and we don't have maternity coverage through our insurance company, and we can't add it to our plan now that we're pregnant (though we knew this when we signed up for the plan). We haven't even interviewed midwives yet, and I'm sure it will work itself out, but I'm curious how many other families out there are footing the bills themselves for their prenatal care and births.

[baileyandmikey]

if you are low income, you could apply for suplemental ins thru the state, other than that, there seems to be no help avaliable for those with no ins.

[blessedonce]

Yeah my dh forgot to sign us up for insurance through his work. Only our ds is covered and that's through the state. I'm going to be applying through the state as well for this pregnancy. When we had regular insurance when I was pregnant with ds, they refused to cover HIS hospital bill and only covered mine. They claimed we didn't add him until several months later, we added him 3 days later, when we were discharged from the hospital. Not to mention they covered all his appointments during the time they claimed he wasn't covered

~Liz

[ClumsySugarPlum]

Try no insurance. Actually, I think I have one month left of insurance through the school district I used to work for, but everything is up in the air after that. I might be able to get a COBRA (have to call about that tomorrow), but I'm not sure. I'm desparately seeking employment now that will offer health insurance, that also means applying and maybe taking jobs that don't pay well, but provide insurance. I don't know what we're going to do to pay for this. I don't actually know how much health insurance will cost, but know that I'm preggers, I'm assuming the sky's the limit. DH can't add me to his because he only has a health savings account. Trying not to get too wrapped up in the details, but I'm a little scared. Hope you guys are able to figure it out and and when you do, tell me what to do!

[baileyandmikey]

COBRA is sooooo expensive! ugh

[ClumsySugarPlum]

Well, I have some good news. My current insurance through the school district I used to work for is good through the end of September. I can do a COBRA, and maybe I can take off the eye and dental insurance so my monthly bill isn't as high. Not exactly sure what will be covered though. More to come...

[ClumsySugarPlum]

Insurance Questions- What am I forgetting?

Hi, there. I'm still waiting for my first prenatal appointment and while I wait I thought I should check out what my insurance has to offer so we can try to financially prepare for our baby. Apparently I will pay my old school district the same amount for the COBRA as they payed for me - $442/ mo. If it's okay to ask, for those who do have insurance, how much do you pay? Is what I will pay a lot? I looked online and got a good idea, I think, of what I can expect financially, but what am I forgetting? I know I've heard people say how expensive birth can be, and it really seems like the rules and regulations book of my insurance plan didn't say a whole lot. Help me think of the questions I need to ask my insurance, but don't know. Here's what I do know:

Well baby care visits are covered in a physician's office during the first 24 months of life (I'm assuming the regular co-pay amount applies - $30)

Hospital obstetrical delivery care and services are covered.

There is a $600 in-patient co-pay for staying at the hospital. The baby is not charged a co-pay if she/ he is discharged with me.

Home delivery is not covered

Normal delivery out of service area is not covered (normal delivery is considered within 5 weeks of due date)

Complete hospital and outpatient postpartum care and services for female participants covered (with $30 co-pay)

Prenatal care and services are covered (with $30 co-pay)
Amniocentesis based on criteria established by the insurance plan and requested by the physician is covered

Birthing classes are covered

[ClumsySugarPlum]

Oops. Birthing classes are not covered.

[faeriemom]

I don't have insurance either, but my Dr's office and the nearby hospital offer a significant discount to people who are paying out of pocket. They also do payment plans. My plan is for a homebirth with midwife, but if there are any complications I'm going for hospital.

[SunRise]

Originally Posted by ClumsySugarPlum

Hi, there. I'm still waiting for my first prenatal appointment and while I wait I thought I should check out what my insurance has to offer so we can try to financially prepare for our baby. Apparently I will pay my old school district the same amount for the COBRA as they payed for me - $442/ mo. If it's okay to ask, for those who do have insurance, how much do you pay? Is what I will pay a lot? I looked online and got a good idea, I think, of what I can expect financially, but what am I forgetting? I know I've heard people say how expensive birth can be, and it really seems like the rules and regulations book of my insurance plan didn't say a whole lot. Help me think of the questions I need to ask my insurance, but don't know. Here's what I do know:

Well baby care visits are covered in a physician's office during the first 24 months of life (I'm assuming the regular co-pay amount applies - $30)

Hospital obstetrical delivery care and services are covered.

There is a $600 in-patient co-pay for staying at the hospital. The baby is not charged a co-pay if she/ he is discharged with me.

Home delivery is not covered

Normal delivery out of service area is not covered (normal delivery is considered within 5 weeks of due date)

Complete hospital and outpatient postpartum care and services for female participants covered (with $30 co-pay)

Prenatal care and services are covered (with $30 co-pay)
Amniocentesis based on criteria established by the insurance plan and requested by the physician is covered

Birthing classes are covered

$442 through COBRA seems very reasonable to me. I went without insurance last year (had a pregnancy&miscarriage during that time) AND I would highly recommend for you to keep your current insurance via cobra as opposed to none ... I think if you try to switch to another insurance then you want to MAKE sure that the pregnancy is covered and not considered a preexisting condition.

$442 is half of what I pay right now for private insurance for one person (but health insurance coverage differs (ALOT) by state).

Depending what state you are in there may be something similar to SCHIP programs (options for people who do not qualify for medicaid / make too much, but still could use some assistance); state health care that would cover your pregnancy. In NY state it is called PCAP (Prenatal Care Assistance Program) through the department of health.

[aja-belly]

my husband's company was just bought out. insurance is switching over in november. i don't know if i pick a network provider now if i will be able to keep them. i guess we need to make a call into hr and have them explain it....

[ClumsySugarPlum]

Thanks for the info.

[jr'smom]

Not in your DDC, but looks like a good place to vent my frustrations! Sorry! We do have maternity coverage-but I'd be less frustrate if we didn't! Then I could deal with the fact that we have to pay it all out of pocket anyway--here's the deal:

For the last two years we've been paying extra to have maternity coverage included with our insurance. Our insurance for me, DH, and two children is more than $1000/month and our deductable is $5650/year. We never go to MDs so we never use it anyhow. Anything we do--chiropractic, acupuncture, etc, isn't covered at all or a very insignificant amount applies toward the deductable.

I want a midwife attended homebirth. I found a great one, but she doesn't submit insurance. Her fee is $4000, and she wants me to co-care with another group of midwives who work out of a birthing center in a hospital just in case. (Given my history of 2 C/S.) So I'll have to pay for two times the prenatal care. The hospital midwives do submit insurance. But wait there's more...

Our deductable is $5650 per calendar year and my baby is due mid-January. The coverage sucks anyway-- up to $1500 for doctor/midwife fees and up to $3000 for hospital fees. Here's the kicker...if I had a repeat c-section there's better coverage. I didn't even ask...there's no way I'm going to plan that!

I don't get it! It just sucks. I'm consulting with the hospital(birthing center) midwives this afternoon. If I really like them, I will probably just plan to use only them. I really would prefer to try homebirth again, but an extra $4000--can I justify it? (When basically it will all be out-of-pocket anyway.)

*I need to add, I really am praying I have a healthy birth and my insurance doesn't need to kick in for any emergencies or anything. (Just a little supersticious.)

[Kessed]

I'm in Canada - but in one of the backwards provinces that doesn't cover midwifery.

If I went with an OB or the 1 midwife hospital program - it would be free.

As it is - we have to pay $3000 OOP for a homebirth midwife. But it's worth it

[texanatheart]

Originally Posted by jr'smom

Not in your DDC, but looks like a good place to vent my frustrations! Sorry! We do have maternity coverage-but I'd be less frustrate if we didn't! Then I could deal with the fact that we have to pay it all out of pocket anyway--here's the deal:

For the last two years we've been paying extra to have maternity coverage included with our insurance. Our insurance for me, DH, and two children is more than $1000/month and our deductable is $5650/year. We never go to MDs so we never use it anyhow. Anything we do--chiropractic, acupuncture, etc, isn't covered at all or a very insignificant amount applies toward the deductable.

I want a midwife attended homebirth. I found a great one, but she doesn't submit insurance. Her fee is $4000, and she wants me to co-care with another group of midwives who work out of a birthing center in a hospital just in case. (Given my history of 2 C/S.) So I'll have to pay for two times the prenatal care. The hospital midwives do submit insurance. But wait there's more...

Our deductable is $5650 per calendar year and my baby is due mid-January. The coverage sucks anyway-- up to $1500 for doctor/midwife fees and up to $3000 for hospital fees. Here's the kicker...if I had a repeat c-section there's better coverage. I didn't even ask...there's no way I'm going to plan that!

I don't get it! It just sucks. I'm consulting with the hospital(birthing center) midwives this afternoon. If I really like them, I will probably just plan to use only them. I really would prefer to try homebirth again, but an extra $4000--can I justify it? (When basically it will all be out-of-pocket anyway.)

*I need to add, I really am praying I have a healthy birth and my insurance doesn't need to kick in for any emergencies or anything. (Just a little supersticious.)

Super-bummer! Especially after paying that premium every month...blech.

Hugs to you!!

[jr'smom]

Originally Posted by texanatheart

Super-bummer! Especially after paying that premium every month...blech.

Hugs to you!!

Thanks! It just helped to get it out!