Looking for insurance information for maternal costs.

[reveriereptile]

I'm trying to find an insurance company that isn't outrageous on pricing that will cover maternal care. I don't work other than help my husband and my husband is self employed. I was looking around and I can't believe how much some of the insurance companies charge.

How long is the usual wait before a insurance company will approve you before you can get maternal care if you're not pregnant yet? If I was to become pregnant before I got insurance do most hospitals give you a lowered price if you plan to make a payment plan? What is the typical price range for all the doctor visits, delivery (including c-section just incase), hospital care, and the after check ups for you and the baby? Are there any NY insurance companies that I should check out?

My husband and me are to the point we feel ready to have kids even though we do have the nervous side about becoming new parents which I'm assuming is normal. We are getting older so we would like to start trying soon. I've gotten to the point that I'm getting strong feelings about wanting to be a mother. I've even been reading the What to Expect books and looking at the cost of baby supplies. I took a pregnancy test a few days ago from being late and I actually felt disappointed that it was negative.

If I did become pregnant without insurance we would survive. My husband does have money saved. We are mostly worried about if something was to happen during delivery or the baby had problems if we didn't have the insurance to cover that.

 

[annanicole18]

We were in the same boat self employed and me helping him but more on the side of just in case it happens. We went through an insurance agent whom we loved! He said honestly best thing to do is what's called a pregnancy card. Its a discount card that really helps bring down the cost. He said shopping around for the best prices on ultrasounds is a good thing to do too. I would contact an agent and have them do the looking for you. Co workers of mine one had a csection cost her about 24000 for hers the other with a regular birth was more like 14000. Most companies require you to not be pregnant until 9 months later so you aren't slipping one in on them.

 

[reveriereptile]

Thanks a lot for the information.

 

[Southernbelle]

I didn't think pregnancy could be considered a pre-exsisting condition anymore?

I got pregnant a month after I got married (12 years ago) and my pregnancy was covered. I had just been added to my husband's insurance when I found out I was pregnant. Check with the laws for your state.

Every pregnancy was different for me. We've always been able to choose how high of a deductable we want to have and that affects our monthly payments - higher deductible, lower monthly payments. Sometimes there's co-insurance, too.

1st baby: $1500 deductible, 100% covered after deductible
2nd baby: $1000 deductible, 100% covered after
3rd baby: $300 deductible, owed 20% of the bill in co-insurance
4th baby: $300 deductible, owed 10% co-insurance

I have uncomplicated pregnancies and all-natural, old-fashioned deliveries. Still every baby seems to cost between $1000-$1500 out-of-pocket to bring into this world.

 

[reveriereptile]

Thanks for the information.

The high deductible insurance was something I was looking at due to the cheaper monthly payments.

If we had to we would pay for the bills out of pocket but with a possiblity of any risk of something wrong with the baby is what scares us. It is scary seeing average prices of $7-$14K since that is a lot of money for a delivery.

Most of the insurace companies around here seem to consider pregnancy a pre-existing condition unless you get pregnant after their waiting period. One thing I'm wondering is if you apply for insurance for a family plan and got approved while pregnant if they would cover the baby after it is born if the baby had any problems that we didn't know about?

 

[thebirdguy]

You should look into getting just a major medical plan without maternity.. If you look at the difference in premium for an individual plan with maternity, you are basically just paying for the maternity costs on a payment plan.. Find an AFLAC agent and look at their hospital indemnity and intensive care policies.. Then shop around for an OB that will work with you on payments and total cost.. If you make payments prior to delivery, a lot of the OBs will discount their cost to what an insurance company would have paid them.

Best of luck! Kids are the best!!

 

[Orchid]

Have you checked to see if there is a state medical plan for which you would qualify? Here in MN we have Minnesota Care, which has a reduced premium depending on income, and I believe it covers maternity care 100%. (Not totally sure since I haven't used it, but I think it does.) Maybe your state has something similar?

 

[reveriereptile]

I think my husband makes to much for the state medical plans. He is an attorney and makes around $40-$50K a year. He has money saved but would like to use some of it for a rental property since he can't always count on a certain amount of money coming in to use as a fall back. His relatives had pretty good luck with their rentals. Also with working for himself he doesn't have any retirement. If we had to we would use the money saved but would like to keep some for a backup and he will be needing some to pay his taxes with part of that money.

It is stressful trying to plan things out just to pay for the medical costs for a baby. The baby supplies is a piece of cake compared to the medical costs. I plan on yard sale shopping or going on ebay to buy clothing lots to help save on money. I want to feed natural if it works out which would save on costs. The other stuff that I buy new for I'd shop around for deals.

 

[mom'sfolly]

I just want to point out that a premature baby or a baby that need NICU for another reason will end up costing between $100,000 - $250,000. Nobody likes to think about those things, but it happens. If it happens without insurance, it can wipe you out. Just something to keep in the back of your mind. I think my insurance, with the family premiums through my husband's job, covered 100% of maternal care.

 

[reveriereptile]

mom'sfolly :

I just want to point out that a premature baby or a baby that need NICU for another reason will end up costing between $100,000 - $250,000. Nobody likes to think about those things, but it happens. If it happens without insurance, it can wipe you out. Just something to keep in the back of your mind. I think my insurance, with the family premiums through my husband's job, covered 100% of maternal care.

That's one of the worries I have and why I would like insurance is for something like that. Never know if a pregnancy, delivery, or the baby will turn out without complications.​