Covering the Costs of Pregnancy

Raising children is a very expensive endeavor, and the costs start adding up before the baby is even born. Pregnant women are strongly advised to get prenatal care, which includes routine visits to the obstetrician/gynecologist (OB/GYN), diagnostic testing, medications and pre-pregnancy supplements. Other costs include the actual delivery, hospital stay and postpartum care. All of these things can add up to at least $10,000, and the price is even higher if the pregnancy is high risk or there are complications. If a woman does not have insurance to cover all of the costs, having to pay for all of them out of pocket can be difficult and for many, impossible. Approximately 13% of women who become pregnant each year are uninsured, and not being able to afford the large amount of pregnancy related expenses is one of the main reasons women forgo prenatal care. Doing so can have adverse effects for not only the mother, but also the child.

Covering Maternity Costs

In order to make pregnancy affordable and as safe as possible, many women have maternity insurance, which covers the medical expenses associated with pregnancy. Different plans vary in terms of detail, but coverage is usually categorized by inpatient and outpatient services. Inpatient services include fees associated with the hospital stay and actual delivery, and outpatient services include the costs of prenatal and postnatal doctor visits.

Maternity insurance is not cheap, and the actual pricing depends on different factors. Women who have not conceived yet will pay the lowest amount for maternity insurance. The law prohibits insurance companies from denying coverage, but once pregnant, the pregnancy is considered a pre-existing condition and the policy will therefore cost more. Also, someone with coverage through their employer will have the benefit of lower pricing compared to someone who has purchased private, individual insurance coverage. Be mindful, however, of restrictions. A policy may include maternity costs, but it may state that a woman must have the coverage for a certain time period before the maternity portion can be used. Some policies require that the person spend the entire amount of their deductible before the insurance will pay for services.

Options For Obtaining Coverage

If a woman finds that maternity costs are not included in her current policy and she needs to purchase coverage, there are several options. Purchasing the maternity coverage as a rider on an existing individual health insurance policy may be a viable option for some. For an additional fee, the policy will expand to cover maternity related costs. Also, if a woman meets certain income requirements, she may be able to obtain maternity coverage through a government subsidized program like Medicaid. There may also be state sponsored health insurance programs for pregnant women that are a more affordable alternative to private coverage. These programs are usually based on income as well.