Maternity Insurance Coverage.

Hi Alecia,

I'll preface this story by saying that any maternity coverage will cost you out the wazzoo!! Basically, you have to have the coverage in place for several years before it even pays well. By then, you've already paid enough in premiums to pay for your baby in full!

When I had my son 3 yrs ago, I was in the same boat....we also have Unicare. I ended up pre-paying the hospital and Dr. at a discounted rate. For instance, I pre-paid the hospital for the delivery before the end of my 7th month, and it cost me $2700. I was told by them that if I waited until after the birth & had them bill me, it would be $8000-$10,000. So, you should check with the hospital that you would be delivering at to see if they allow pre-paying. I also pre-paid my midwife & Dr for all pre-natal, which was an additional $3000. So, all total was around $6000.

Now, another option for you if your first pregnancy & delivery were healthy & uncomplicated: a birthing center. There's a wonderful one in Denton, and another one in Dallas not too far from Baylor. Maybe one in Allen too? I believe all pre-natal & delivery at a birthing center will cost you less than $2500 total. I would have gone that route with my son, but had my daughter by c-section 4 yrs earlier and was attempting a VBAC with my son. So, I compromised with myself and delivered in the hospital with a midwife. BTW, if you haven't considered using a midwife, I would highly recommend it. I also hired a Doula....best money ever spent!!

Of course if you really don't want to spend anything and don't mind a 22 yr old med student delivering your baby, you could always go to Parkland in dallas.

So, bottom line....there are alot of options out there. It just takes a bit of research to find them all!

Good Luck!
H.

What did you end up doing? I'm 4 or 6 weeks along and our medical doesn't include maternity...need some advice. Thanks!

Just to let you know, there have been some questions on this same topic asked before, if you read thru some of the history. I happened to ask this same question myself a while back. I too have a Unicare plan to cover emergency situations, but it does not have maternity. I don't know if we qualify for Medicaid since they changed the laws for pregnant women last summer. I've tried to do some research online, but I can't figure out what the income cut-off is. If anyone else knows, let me know! I think my husband makes too much. Anyway, I plan to check into Medicaid and then if that doesn't work, I plan to call around to hospitals and try to negotiate a private pay c-section, as well as negotiate a payment plan with my OB. I'm not pregnant yet, but we are thinking about it in the next year or so, so I'm trying to plan ahead.

I am 12 weeks pregnant and don't have insurance either. Call around to different hospitals and OBs and ask for their uninsured rates. Don't get scared by the first quote you get either. They vary by thousands of dollars! Trinity Medical Center in Carrollton was my choice.

Are you still looking for maternity insurance?

Alecia-
Yes, I have paid cash for all 4 of my babies. Doctor's Hospital in Dallas was only $1700 up front for labor/delivery/2 nights in hospital for baby and I. I paid my OB on a payment plan- I think $2500 or close to that. The anesthesiologist let me work out a payment plan also- she was $700 (I am a big wimp and wanted an epidural).

Just call around.

Like the other mom said, birthing centers are also a GREAT way to go. All of my friends have raved about their midwives and the care they recieved.

D.