For parents, being pregnant can be a fun and rewarding time. They will spend hundreds, if not thousands, of hours getting ready for the birth of their child. A lot of parenting books will be read, baby products will be looked into and bought, the entire house will be baby-proofed, and baby names will be discussed. However, there is a part of having a baby that is all too frequently disregarded. Many private health care plans do not frequently pay the medical expenses associated with pregnancy and delivery.
It might be unexpected for some people. Pregnancy not being regarded as a medical condition seems illogical. Pregnancy is a normal and healthy aspect of being a human, according to some health insurance providers, though. Pregnancy is also not caused by chance, unlike an illness or disease, and as such, shouldn’t be covered by insurance.
Pregnancy-related medical coverage is something you should be ready for, regardless of why it isn’t covered or whether it ought to be. Maternity coverage is mandated by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act for the majority of people whose medical insurance is provided by an employer with more than 15 employees. However, this does not apply to individual plans, which are becoming more and more common. Pregnant women with private plans must now be covered in twelve states. There are frequently a few providers who will offer coverage under their health plans to residents of the other 38 states, but the premiums are typically higher.
Make sure you are covered if you have private insurance and you believe there is a chance you might get pregnant. Call your provider and enquire specifically about what is covered if there is even the slightest doubt. Even for those with pregnancies covered by insurance, your deductible and coinsurance will probably apply to the costs. Even with insurance, there may still be significant out-of-pocket expenses.
Check to see if your plan offers a maternity rider if it does not cover pregnancy. The cost of prenatal care and delivery is covered by maternity riders, which are policy add-ons. These are typically paid for with an additional monthly premium and frequently have waiting periods before getting pregnant, some of which can last up to 12 months. Maternity riders can be expensive, and if there is a long waiting period, you might end up paying the same amount for the rider as you would for the pregnancy alone.
Without insurance, prenatal care and delivery costs can be very high. Contact a few nearby hospitals to find out their prices if you don’t have insurance. The price variations can be quite large. Additionally, think about switching to a health savings account-enabled insurance plan. Your HSA can be used to pay for pregnancy-related expenses, which will save you a sizable amount of income tax.
It will be challenging to find a plan that does if you are already pregnant and realize that your insurance does not cover pregnancy. As a pre-existing condition, pregnancy is frequently grounds for application denial. In this situation, find out what is required to join the high risk insurance pool in your state. You might be able to get coverage for fair prices. The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan provided by the Federal Government is another choice. Because of a pre-existing condition, the PCIP is intended for people who are unable to obtain insurance through the private market.
All health insurance plans will be required to cover maternity starting in 2014 as a result of the Affordable Care Act, and none will be permitted to exclude coverage due to pre-existing conditions. But until those laws are implemented, make sure you have adequate coverage.