Metro Partners - Pre-paying deductible

Mrs.NGM

I saw a post on the 2nd tri board that made me think about this.  I go through Metro Partners in Women's Health and I owe $1k by August, as that is my individual deductible.  Is this the norm with most offices?  I already paid it in full, so I'm hoping this is pretty common and I don't have to deal with billing issues between the hospital, my doctor's office and my insurance company after the babies are born.

KBabySmiles

It is normal. You shouldn't have to pay any more to you OB after delivery. You will have the hospital bills to pay (room, materials, epi etc.)

beewltched

I'm half way through my pregnancy and my office just brought it up that I could pay half now half later if I wanted or all of it now or whatever I decide.  I dont remember doing it with my first pregnancy with the same office.  But I would guess it is fairly normal to try to even out the costs so you arent owing a bunch of money at the same time.

Mrs.NGM

I ended up calling Blue Care directly since I wasn't getting a straight answer from anyone else.  They said it was normal and would be fine as long as the doctor's office sent the bill before the hospital (just so I wouldn't have to deal with who gets the deductible).  Then I called the doctor's office to see what would happen if the hospital bill gets sent first and they said that never happens, so I'll be fine.  Blah, the boring things I have to sort through drive me nuts!

MrsRenee

I don't think it's common to prepay a deductible.  I always make doctor offices process things through insurance first before paying.  I'm assuming the $1000 is a general deductible- once it's paid, then insurance pays for everything else.  The vast majority of the bills during pregnancy come after the baby is born.  So from now until then, there's likely to be things that come up and chip away at that deductible (are your u/s and lab work done by doctor's office or the hospital?).  By the time the doctor actually bills insurance, you will likely have paid a portion of that deductible.  The insurance company won't know you prepaid your deductible, so you will essentially be paying your deductible twice and have to wait to be reinbursed from the doctor's office.

mbritto4

I had to pay my OB her delivery fees not covered by my insurance in 2nd trimester.  I didn't with my first DD, but with the insurance changes in the last 4 years that seems to be the norm now.

You will more than likely still get bills from your hospital for various things (labs, drugs, and stay) though. 

HarmsMomma

MrsRenee:

I don't think it's common to prepay a deductible.  I always make doctor offices process things through insurance first before paying.  I'm assuming the $1000 is a general deductible- once it's paid, then insurance pays for everything else.  The vast majority of the bills during pregnancy come after the baby is born.  So from now until then, there's likely to be things that come up and chip away at that deductible (are your u/s and lab work done by doctor's office or the hospital?).  By the time the doctor actually bills insurance, you will likely have paid a portion of that deductible.  The insurance company won't know you prepaid your deductible, so you will essentially be paying your deductible twice and have to wait to be reinbursed from the doctor's office.

I do too.  However, I do keep up on where I am in meeting my deductible, what's going to be covered vs. not, ect.  We've been putting money aside each money especially for paying the doctor's and hospital so it won't be such a shock (hopefully!)