For those using an HMO but planning on a homebirth

[sagewinna]

Are you letting your Dr. know you are having a homebirth?

We have an HMO (Kaiser), and I will get the bloodwork and such done there. I have all ready seen the midwife (at home) that will deliver our baby, we are paying out of pocket for that.

I am wondering if it's better to just go along with the Dr. appointments and stuff at Kaiser and just not tell them that I don't plan to deliver there, or if I should le the Dr. know. The midwife said they can't refuse to see me because of the homebirth thing, but I am sure they can make things uncomfortable for me when I go in.

[StarMama]

I'm in the same situation and not quite sure what I'm going to do as well. One of the other moms here on mothering said she just stopped going to prenatals after her midwives got everything they needed, and Kaiser didn't even bother calling her to see what was going on or anything... I'm thinking that sounds like a good idea to me too. I don't want to double up appts when I'm having to go in more than 1 time a month...

[Rikki]

Depends on if Kaiser will cover you and the baby should anything go wrong in a homebirth. When I had dd #2, they wouldn't cover it, unless it was a precipitous labor followed with a call to 911. As long as I called 911, then I was in the clear as far as them covering the HB since I "tried" to get to the hospital. I ended up going to the hospital anyway, even though it was precipitous, since dh was in another *state* at the time...damn business trips...

Anyhow, with my current baby, we are living in another state, and we don't have Kaiser here, though we are on an HMO plan that says under no circumstances will they cover HB. However, I had my last baby in 45 minutes from start to finish and we're expecting about half that time for this one, so we'll let the EMTs "deliver" the baby if they make it on time!

Ahem...make sense? I'm not sure, but that's how to get "away" with it if you have an HMO who won't cover the HM or after care if there's a problem.

[StarMama]

Kaiser itself said when I called to confirm what they will and won't cover that they will cover the birth if something goes wrong during a homebirth and you get to the hospital before the baby is born.

[Rikki]

will cover the birth if something goes wrong during a homebirth and you get to the hospital before the baby is born Yeah, um but then it's not really a HOME birth... :D Sounds like typical Kaiser to me... I used to LOVE Kaiser so much but after hearing some people's horror stories, I don't know if I was just really lucky with them (I had a pushy mother who always was able to get us right in and I think they notated something in my records saying to just comply with her requests because she's a PITA!)

Good luck!

[Chelly2003]

I'm doing the same thing.
I've been to my ob got the blood work done, and my first appt with my midwife will be on the 7th of May.
We'll have to pay out of pocket about $3000

[Cindi]

I have been getting double care this pregnancy--through Kaiser as well as my homebirth midwife (and paying out of pocket.) I chose a CNM at Kaiser (who also delivered my firstborn there) and let her know right off the bat my intention, and she has been very supportive. This is in Santa Rosa. Yesterday she had a substitute in who read my chart and said, "So you are planning a homebirth?" and then told me she used to have a homebirth practice. And even the ultrasound tech shared with me that she had a homebirth for her children, even without me telling her that was my intention. Needless to say, I've been pleasantly surprised. If I had been holding all this back, I'd have really missed out.

I find the care at my homebirth midwife's visits to be far more extensive, and this Kaiser care really limited, but I do feel good establishng a relationship with the midwives there just for peace of mind should I need to rely on Kaiser in an emergency. And just to have a file going.

I'd say tell your doctor, and if you get bad energy, change your practitioner. I would guess Sacramento has CNMs too.

[Cathi]

Originally posted by sagewinna
Are you letting your Dr. know you are having a homebirth?


At this point, no we are not. I've gotten a lot of heat because people think I'm deceiving my care provider. But what do they THINK my OB would say if I told him "By the way, I'm using your services now but actually planning on delivering this baby myself."

Yeah, I'm sure he'd love that. And I'm sure I'd receive stellar treatment for the rest of my pregnancy too. :rolleyes:

[StarMama]

Originally posted by Rikki
Yeah, um but then it's not really a HOME birth... :D


Very true, but this point was very important to my Dh. That if something goes wrong while attempting a homebirth, we'd be able to be admitted and not have to pay out of pocket for that too. Course there can be problems after the actual birth... thats when things would get tricky...

[gus'smama]

Okay, I don't have Kaiser and I don't live in California. Can I still post on this thread?:p

I got my HMO (cigna) to pay *completely* for my homebirth. The midwife I used was a CNM who has her own practice. She does homebirths and deliverys at a v. progressive hosp. based birth center. She does have OB backup, which was, I think, important to the insurance. I had *no* idea that this was possible, and had, in fact, ruled out homebirth (was going to midwifery practice at afore-mentioned hospital) b/c of the cost. Thank god someone at my preg. yoga class told me that her insurance was paying for her homebirth. It got me thinking!

BTW, I had already called my Insurance and asked them if they covered homebirths and was told NO! My mw said that that was pretty common for preg. women to hear when they called to ask, but if *she* called the "provider line" it was usually OK. Not sure why.

HTH, and good luck:love