Pregnant without maternity insurance...

[Penny_P]

So... we found out last week that I'm pregnant with #4. Yea!

 

Except that I don't have maternity coverage. I've called around to different hospitals and clinics and it's all so very expensive. One of my deliveries was vacuum assist. In another my son had shoulder dysplasia. My pregnancies were uneventful, but I would not consider a home birth. Frankly, give me the nice hospital with an epideral- I'm not that tough.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to find lower cost prenatal and delivery? I tried the residency program at the hospital where I work, but they only help UNINSURED people. Once again I find we make to much to qualify for any help, but not enough to make payment un-painful.

[jcross222]

I never had maternity coverage with any of my pregnancies. I delivered my 1st 3 children in a hospital and used a midwife. She had discount prices for those paying cash. The next 3 children were also with midwives, but at a birth center. Cheaper than the hospital, but wouldn't work if you wanted an epidural.

Also, if you have your previous records, you can decline certain lab tests i.e. blood type, rubella, syphilis, HIV since those results wouldn't have changed. If you've had a pap smear in the last 1-2 yrs and it was negative, you don't need another on at the first prenatal visit. All these tests can really add up.

Try to find a provider who is willing to negotiate things like that. I would think a family physician ( I am one, so I can speak to this) or a midwife would be the best chance at finding such a person. OBs are specialists, and therefore, are USUALLY more expensive. Good luck and congratulations!

[Penny_P]

Thank you JCross, that was useful information. One hospital/clinic has a rate of $4300 for prenatal and delivery (including epideral :D), but it's almost a thirty minute drive. I don't think that cost is too, too bad, but dh thinks we'll find better.

 

I called one OB and her charge alone was $3000-something- I couldn't believe it! That doesn't include the hospital. The hospital where I work is like $3400 for a basic delivery.

[Osmosis Mom]

Find a Catholic hospital and see if you like it. I was in this situation last time 0and a VBAC to boot- and ended up finding a great clinic at a Catholic hospital. Had I not liked the place or how they treated me, then I would have gone with the midwifery clinic that also did VBAC's and paid around $7k or in worst case gone to my old OB and paid double that (realistically speaking). (Not that we had the money, but we would have sold the cars or something).

 

So, look into a Catholic hospital.

[Parker Martin]

One hospital/clinic has a rate of $4300 for prenatal and delivery (including epideral ), but it's almost a thirty minute drive. I don't think that cost is too, too bad, but dh thinks we'll find better.

 

Nice! That's not bad at all. Not too far off what I've paid with maternity coverage.

[LisaKinVA]

Thank you JCross, that was useful information. One hospital/clinic has a rate of $4300 for prenatal and delivery (including epideral :D), but it's almost a thirty minute drive. I don't think that cost is too, too bad, but dh thinks we'll find better.

.

 

Wow! that's a good price. Around here, that's just a bit more than the cost of a home delivery with a midwife. The hospitals charge about double.

[jennsmile]

My first was a hospital birth and the bill was $8000 for a natural delivery.

 

So I would go with the clinic that is 30 minutes away. Of course I live an hour from my midwife. ymmv

[ktgrok]

Check with your state/county health department. In florida anyway you can qualify for medicaid for pregnant women with a much higher income than regular medicaid. And they cover whatever your insurance doesn't.

 

Also, honestly, i'd rethink a birth center or homebirth, just because that is a lot of money to get an epidural and go to a hospital. The complications you mentioned with previous births are often caused by being on your back with an epidural, and not being able to move around, so they would likely not repeat in a different setting. However, I also understand that you have to be comfortable, and if homebirth or a birth center scares you that won't work.

 

Hmm...not sure what else to suggest.

[vonfirmath]

Thank you JCross, that was useful information. One hospital/clinic has a rate of $4300 for prenatal and delivery (including epideral :D), but it's almost a thirty minute drive. I don't think that cost is too, too bad, but dh thinks we'll find better.

 

Including epidural? That's fantastic!

 

The epidural itself for my recent delivery was over $1000!

[ktgrok]

Thank you JCross, that was useful information. One hospital/clinic has a rate of $4300 for prenatal and delivery (including epideral :D), but it's almost a thirty minute drive. I don't think that cost is too, too bad, but dh thinks we'll find better.

 

I called one OB and her charge alone was $3000-something- I couldn't believe it! That doesn't include the hospital. The hospital where I work is like $3400 for a basic delivery.

 

Does that include the hospital AND the doctor's fee? Or is it going to be $4300 PLUS the hospital stay itself? Or plus a doctor's fee?

I know with my hospital birth I got a bill from the hospital, but also a bill from the doctor's office, which included charges for all the prenatal visits plus the delivery fee.

 

If that 4300 covers everything I'd do that in a heart beat!!! That is amazingly low.

[HLDoll]

Thank you JCross, that was useful information. One hospital/clinic has a rate of $4300 for prenatal and delivery (including epideral :D), but it's almost a thirty minute drive. I don't think that cost is too, too bad, but dh thinks we'll find better.

 

I called one OB and her charge alone was $3000-something- I couldn't believe it! That doesn't include the hospital. The hospital where I work is like $3400 for a basic delivery.

 

That doesn't sound bad at all. When I was looking at using a midwife/birthing center this time around, their fee was $3900. To have the whole she-bang at the hospital with all the trimmings for only a bit more sounds like a good deal.

[Kipling]

I agree that the $4300 is a very good price. I'd be surprised if you find cheaper. 30 minutes is not that far away, either. That sounds like a good option to me.

I had my third at a birth center because we didn't have maternity coverage. The total there was $4200 with a $500 discount if you paid it off in advance, so we paid $3700, but that did not cover the sonogram or extra tests.

[specialmama]

:svengo:

[Truscifi]

:svengo:

 

:iagree: Holy cow. I had no idea.

[PinkInTheBlue]

I called one OB and her charge alone was $3000-something- I couldn't believe it! That doesn't include the hospital. The hospital where I work is like $3400 for a basic delivery.

 

I'm also wanting to restate what so many others have said. That's an incredible price! I paid about $3000 to my OB for prenatal care, delivery, and follow up visits. I paid $6700 to the hospital for delivery and stay. The epidural was another $800.

 

$4300? I would have been jumping for joy and would have considered having another child.

[gardenmom5]

This is a suggestion dh made. (he's an agent). In WA, (you'd have to check if this would work in AZ), you can buy insurance that will cover COMPLICATIONS only. (and have you to go into the policy itself and read the fine print to see if it will cover them) It won't cover the maternity, but it will cover the complications. (complications aren't a pre-existing condition). That may be an angle to try.

 

good luck and congratulations

Edited October 27, 2011 by gardenmom5

[gardenmom5]

one other thing to consider when you are calling around. Providers will sometimes charge different rates for people with insurance that doens't cover the service, vs what they will charge people who are completely uninsured.

[celticmom]

Check with your state/county health department. In florida anyway you can qualify for medicaid for pregnant women with a much higher income than regular medicaid. And they cover whatever your insurance doesn't.

 

Also, honestly, i'd rethink a birth center or homebirth, just because that is a lot of money to get an epidural and go to a hospital. The complications you mentioned with previous births are often caused by being on your back with an epidural, and not being able to move around, so they would likely not repeat in a different setting. However, I also understand that you have to be comfortable, and if homebirth or a birth center scares you that won't work.

 

Hmm...not sure what else to suggest.

:iagree: You might want to read up on waterbirth.

 

Also, if you go to the hospital don't forget to factor in the bill from the anesthesiologist and the pediatrician.

[MominIN]

My last three were all delivered at a birthing center with a midwife because we didn't have maternity coverage. Do you have one near you?

[lisabees]

We had no health insurance with my first. I used a freestanding birth center with midwives about 45 minutes away. It was a great experience and I used them for the next three births.

 

I agree about the $4300 - sounds very reasonable to me (unfortunately).

[Penny_P]

Hhhhmmmm.... I thought it sounded pretty good. And, yes,it is through a Catholic hospital. That $4300 is supposed to cover everything- prenatal tests, ultrasounds, etc.- I even called twice, but I'd like to see the fine print.

 

Thank you so much for putting this in perspective!

[muffinmom]

I didn't have maternity insurance with my dd. We explained the situation to our doctor, and he gave us a discount and divided the payments over the pregnancy so we would pay a little each visit. It wasn't so bad that way. I was fortunate not to have any complications. I believe the hospital also gave us a discount since we were paying cash.

[newhsmom]

$4300 sounds great to me. We have insurance with a high deductible and we are estimating atleast $7,000 for an uncomplicated vaginal birth with epidural.