Choosing a Care Provider 101 - Mistake Not to Make #3

I don't want to hear you say...

"I don't like my care provider, but my insurance covers their practice."

I know I am opening a huge, massive, extraordinary can of worms here, but I have too. And as is the case with any vessel of worms being unsealed, I must start with a disclaimer.

*I understand that some people must make decisions about health care based upon their insurance. This is an unfortunate reality that I will talk about often. The purpose of this section is to illuminate you about other options you may not have known existed, or realities you were not aware of.*

With that said....

According to a study done by March of Dimes in June of 2007, the total cost for a vaginal delivery in the hospital is $7,737.00, and for a C-Section delivery the average cost is $10,958.00.

What you need to consider is how much of this will your insurance actually cover? Of course, I cannot answer this for you, as all insurance plans are different. So call your insurance company and see how much information you can get before making a decision.

Have you met your deductible?

If not, how much is left?

Does your insurance operate differently for maternity coverage?
(For example you may find that your insurance company will only pay for 80% of your maternity care & delivery, leaving you with 20% to pay out of pocket) For the typical hospital delivery that 20% can start at $1,500.00)

Will they pay for prenatal testing?

Do they cover your stay after the birth?

If you chose a care provider that is not in your plan’s network, will they cover anything at all?
If so, how much?

And for those of you toying with the idea of homebirth, it might be good for you to know that the avaerage homebirth with a Certified Midwife costs about $1,500-$3,000 total. This includes prenatal care, testing, labor and birth support in your home and even a little postpartum support!

While it’s true that CPMs (Certified Professional Midwives) and CNMs (Certified Nurse Midwives) have a harder time being reimbursed by some insurance companies (don’t get me wrong some are very successful, it usually depends on location) even if your insurance does not cover the homebirth midwife of your choice, it might still actually be the cheaper option!

If you have a $5,000.00 deductible, it would be much more cost effective to hire a $2,000.00 midwife. Especially considering your midwife will, more than likely, set up a payment plan for you. Keep in mind that unlike insurance companies, Midwives don’t do it for the money. So talk to your insurance companies and find out exactly what you will and won’t be responsible for when you get that bill 6 weeks postpartum.

The knowledge that you and your wishes will be supported might be of more value to you than your money. To know that you chose the best care provider for your family, on what will end up being the biggest day of your life might actually be worth more than saving a few bucks by going with the doc on in your network. Weigh the pros and cons, interview lots of people – in and out of network - and really make an educated decision. The safety and health of you and your baby are the most important aspects of this decision. (and please, read on!)