Health Insurance and Pregnancy

Why do people wait until they are pregnant to look for health insurance and then get frustrated when 9 out 10 carriers will not carry them?

According to the American Pregnancy Association, about 13% of pregnant women do not have health insurance. Many women either receive inadequate pre-natal care or pay for their entire pregnancy out of pocket. The reason it is difficult to obtain health insurance once they are pregnant is because pregnancy is considered a pre-existing health condition. Insurance carriers know that pregnancy can be a high risk and will need more assistance with costs of health care, so most of them will deny them coverage.

There are not many options, but there are some options for health insurance for pregnant women.

1) Medicaid-If you fit into the income qualification bracket, Medicaid will help pay for pregnancy costs, even if you are already pregnant when you apply for coverage. (programs vary state by state, go directly to your state to see what is available)

2) WIC-Women, infants, and children is also a popular government sponsored option for pregnant, uninsured women.

3) Access Plans underwritten by Nova Casualty  is a guaranteed issue plan that will accept pregnant women. Depending on the plan that you choose, benefits may vary. If you would like a quote please call us directly at 1-866-488-5200.

If none of the above mentioned maternity options work for you, consider the following: using a birthing center instead of a hospital. the costs will range approximately $3,000-$4,000, which is about half of what a hospital birth would cost. Also, contact the financing department of the hospital you have chosen to give birth and see if you can set up a payment plan.