Optional Maternity Coverage

I don't knw if you've already begun coverage with BCBS, but you may want to look into Health Partners. I have had and individual plan with them for years and had very good prenatal and maternity coverage (comparable to plans I've had through employers). The rates were competitive when I first got it, I have no idea how they compare now. I was able to choose between various deductable/out of pocket limits. Good luck!

I have noticed that many people are responding that you should apply for medical assistance through the state. This may seem like a good option but please realize that all of your medical expenses are being paid for by the taxpayers. Essentially you are asking the taxpayers to take care of your expenses because you don't want to wait to pay for it yourself. If expenses are tight in your family why are you considering adding to the expense by adding another person?

Hi there.
You can apply for Minnesota Care through the state. Generally you would have to see if you would be eligible, but pregnant women are automatically covered 100% regardless of income or status. If you dont want to be paying anything at all, that would be the way to go. And, whatever area you are in, there are a lot of really good hospitals and clinics that accept Minnesota care.
Good luck :)

Hi S.,

Does your insurance cover prenatal care, but not labor & delivery? Or do they not even cover prenatal?

When I was pregnant, my insurance covered my prenatal care, but because I had not had the insurance for 18 months, they did not cover labor & delivery. I knew this ahead of time, and applied for MN Care & Medical Assistance. (It was one application for both programs.)

I was pleasantly surprised that we qualified for Medical Assistance. (Yes, you can qualify for MA even if you have other health insurance. They pick up the gaps in coverage. Also, for pregnant women, the income limit is raised. I was surprised at how much you can make and still qualify for M.A.) Our labor & delivery bill was about $5,000, and MA took care of it all.

I will tell you that the MN health care programs application is huge. It was the biggest hassle to fill out, but it's ultimately worth it. And you are supposed to hear back in like 4 weeks; it took us closer to 3 months to get an answer. Their offices are swamped.

Another insurance you can look into is AFLAC. AFLAC is not a health insurance, rather, they pay you cash if you are hospitalized. I've heard of people getting payouts of like $1,000 when they had the baby. I thought their premiums were pretty high, though.

If nothing else, you can just wait the 18 months, and let your family get on better footing.

Good luck!

We purchased AFLAC insurance - it was a supplemental hospital indemnity and sickness plan. Premiums were something like $100 per month but ended up with a payout of over $2300 so it more than paid for itself and helped with the out of pocket expense.

Good luck!

My sister didn't have maternity coverage for her 2nd child and found that the Dr office she went to had a program and so did the hospital. She had to pay I believe $900 total before the baby was born. And that covered everything. The only thing she didn't like was she had to see all the DR in the office and couldn't choose which one she wanted to see.
Good luck
K.

I don't know specifically about coverage, but have you ever considered having a home birth with a Certified Professional Midwife? The average cost of complete prenatal, labor and delivery and postpartum is about $3000...much less than the hospital. Plus, you get incredible personalized attention and you know exactly who will be with you when you are in labor. This option isn't for everyone, but if you are open to alternatives, looking into this option would have many more benefits than just the financial ones. I have delivered at home and have many friends who have done the same. Some people initially chose home birth b/c of finances, then have stuck with it for subsequent pregnancies b/c the overall experience and level of care far exceeds what you can expect from a hospital environment.
Just thought I would throw this out there as a way to think outside the box. If it works out for you, great. Otherwise, I hope you are able to find good coverage.

why would you even think about another baby-when things are so tight right now???id say wait until your hubby gets back on his feet....jmo

I would apply for Medical Assistance or MNCare. Contact your county for an application.

If your husband is still not working, it sounds like you would be eligible for Medical Assistance through the state. They would either pay completely for it, or have you pay a little towards it, depending on how much your income is. It is actually really good coverage and would cover everything related to having a baby (my sister is on it and was all through her pregnancy). Contact your county department.

I know it is hard to wait and honestly, very few people are ever completely financially ready for a child but...! I would recommend waiting. I work in financial services and the economy is real tough right now and I am not sure what sort of impact the bail out and election will have. If money is so tight that you can barely afford coverage for the family that you already have, no matter what you get for MN Care or MA is still not going to cut it. Focus whatever energy and money you have an advancing your educations and careers. Heaven forbid you end up with a difficult/risky pregnancy or that you have a child with meidcal needs or heaven forbid your spouse get injured...Expect the unexpected and plan your finances accordingly.