Our Health Insurance Doesn't Cover Maternity Costs . . .

Many low risk women in this situation choose to give birth at home, too. It is not only qite affordable, the care you receive is far superior to the 15 minute appointments you might get at the hospital based program. Check out the research that the Midwives Alliance of North America has done on its safety. www.MANA.org www.michiganmidwife.com www.birthnetwork.org

1 mom found this helpful

Hi K.,
We also have independent insurance. We opted out of the pregnancy rider because it is so expensive and didn't know if we were going to use it. However, I did come across www.maternitycard.com . My insurance guy checked it out and said that it is legitimate! All the info is on the website. I believe all that they do is negoitiate with OB's and hospitals similar to what insurance companies do. So they are a different middle man so to speak. They were talked about on different national news channels too. Check it out. I also talked with my OB and asked her about cash discounts for services. She said her cash discount was about 1/2 the actual costs. I haven't talked to the hospital. According to my plan, routine care is not covered, but if any emergency situation should arrise while pregnant, than it is covered. Try getting the specifics on that from BCBS. I hope that helps! J.

My husband is also an independent contractor - we have blue cross through Farm bureau. They covered my pregnancies - even when I conceived a month before the insurance kicked in. As long as we could prove the date of conception was after the date we applied for coverage. I have heard of working out a payment plan too. Sometimes they require a down payment at the beginning of your pregnancy but it's different with every hospital.

Hi K., I was interested to know where you live? I work at Garden City Hospital, and we have a Women's Center Clinic, for women with no coverage. Let me know, so I can get you the info. J. C.

Another option is a homebirth. They are safe for a low-risk pregnancy and cost much less than a hospital birth. Our insurance covers maternity costs in a hospital, but we opted for homebirth because we felt it was the optimal choice for us and I had a wonderful birth experience. If you think you might be interested in this, I'd be happy to answer any questions or suggest some resources for learning more. You can get a list of midwives who perform homebirths from the Michigan Midwife Association at http://www.michiganmidwives.org/

I would also check out Michild, I could be wrong but I believe they cover pregnant woman also.

MI has a mychild insuranse that helps pregnant women and then young kids. You can go down to your local health department and apply for it, or you maybe able to apply online. You might have to pay some for it, but not 300. and you will have to find a doctor that takes it, your might not. But when you think about it, it's well worth it.

I second the recommendation for a home birth. I plan to do this with my next baby, even though my insurance will for all maternity/birth costs. There is so much more safety and intimacy in a home birth.

I know that Beaumont in Royal Oak does this. I had a plan with them. I just told them what I could pay a month after they reduced the price of the teatment for me. I hope this helps you and good luck.

My sister's best friend had this same problem. She went to Genesys Hospital and they had a plan that she only paid $1,000.00 and she would go to the hospital for all of her appt. and have the baby there. The only problem is you see who ever is there I guess. She did not have any problems though and she has had three children this way. Hope this helps.

I also have had the same problems these are the people that I have found to be the most resonable:

Joshua Scherer
Business Benefits Inc.
E-Health Insurance Services Inc.
Direct: 1.877.391.3330 or ###-###-####Assist: 1.800.626.5207Fax: 1.###-###-####Email: ____@____.com

They were very helpful and I have insurance for me which includes maternity, my husband and my 1 year old for under 200 per month.

Hopefully they can help you also

M.

Have you tried signing up for medicade? It's worth a shot.