There are few times when consistent medical care is needed as when a woman is pregnant. It has been shown that women who do not receive prenatal care are twice as likely to have a child who is stillborn, or born with handicaps. We are also in a time where criminal charges are often sought if a woman does not receive proper prenatal care and something happens to the child.
Do all Insurance Policies Cover All Prenatal Care?
No. Standard prenatal care is often part of traditional policies, and most HMO and PPO policies. However, if there is a crisis situation in the pregnancy, or problems with the birth, some policies do not cover that. A few companies have policies which deal exclusively with prenatal and crisis prenatal care, but many of those are choosing to discontinue the service.
Does Prenatal Coverage Include the Baby when Born?
Checking the policy is very important if the insured is pregnant or plans to become pregnant. Some insurance companies that cover prenatal care do not cover the hospital charges for the baby once it is born. Others include the child into the family plan, if that is the type of policy it is. In general, for traditional family insurance policies, both prenatal and the charges for the baby are both covered.
What if my Policy doesn’t cover all Prenatal Care?
It is very common for the insured to have to pick up the tab for at least part of the prenatal and birthing costs. Insurance policies still offset a major part of it. One option is to obtain discounted medical care through different programs which, when used with insurance, can save a lot of money. Also, getting two policies is another option to help defray the high cost of prenatal and crisis prenatal care.
Will my HMO Cover High Risk Prenatal Care?
As long as any specialists are referred by your primary physician, the cost will normally be covered by an HMO. Costs incurred for emergency situations may or may not be covered, depending on the policy. Some major companies who also have traditional insurance will cover some, if not all of these expenses, but others do not. Each case will have to be determined individually.
Should I get Extra Insurance for Prenatal and Crisis Prenatal Care?
It wouldn’t hurt. As many mothers know, with some pregnancies, everything goes well, but with others, nothing can be predicted. It is best to be “over-insured” as much as possible, than to find out that there are thousands of dollars in medical bills that are not going to be paid by the primary insurance company. It is well worth the extra cost for a few months to ensure quality care, and peace of mind.
Women should know that many insurance companies consider pregnancy a “pre-existing” condition. Trying to get insurance after conception can be difficult, but it is not impossible. Anyone who has the slightest chance of becoming pregnant should carry at least basic prenatal insurance, just in case. There is no such thing as a low cost birth.