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home birth/birth center VS. insurance

macaroon45macaroon45
in Minnesota Babies
I am currently pregnant and insured through Blue Cross Blue Shield and am having a heck of a time figuring out insurance with them as my husband and I want to have a home birth or possibly at a birth center. I even asked if it was just my plan or if BCBS will cover anything if I had a higher plan, they said, "NO". Has anyone had to deal with them before and had any success? All I've heard are nightmare stories when dealing with insurance companies and natural births and so far the stories are living up to their reputations. 
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Re: home birth/birth center VS. insurance

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    strum0711strum0711 member

    We have BCBS and delivered our 2 in Woodbury with a midwife - both waterbirths. Not sure if they do home deliveries or not though. Woodwinds was great and our insurance accepted them. The Woodbury Clinic has a lot of great midwives.

     

     

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    HockeyWife4LifeHockeyWife4Life member

    I don't have BCBS but I am in the same boat.  Our insurance won't cover midwifery services for a home birth and neither of the birth centers in the area are considered in-network.  Our insurance is lousy anyways but it is still more affordable for us to give birth in a hospital with our lousy insurance than it would be if we had to pay 100% of the costs of a home birth or birth center birth.  I have decided to see the midwives at HealthEast in Woodury and will most likely try for a water birth at Woodwinds or St. Joe's.


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    MrsGo4HockeychickMrsGo4Hockeychick member
    imagejkromer37:

    I don't have BCBS but I am in the same boat.  Our insurance won't cover midwifery services for a home birth and neither of the birth centers in the area are considered in-network.  Our insurance is lousy anyways but it is still more affordable for us to give birth in a hospital with our lousy insurance than it would be if we had to pay 100% of the costs of a home birth or birth center birth.  I have decided to see the midwives at HealthEast in Woodury and will most likely try for a water birth at Woodwinds or St. Joe's.

    if you really want a home birth, call and talk to a couple midwives. They can usually recoup some of your money from insurance. They're usually very upfront about how much you can realistically expect to get back.  Same with the birth centers. It's all a matter of billing codes :) most midwives know how to bill to get insurance to cover some of the costs

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    ErinRCErinRC
    I had a home birth, but haven't gotten my insurance info back yet. From what I've heard, it's best not to out-right say you're having a home birth, but an out-of-hospital birth. Most midwives won't be in network, but insurance should cover at an out-of-network rate. like pp said most midwives will tell you how much you can expect to get back, if anything. Some midwives use a billing service that will usually get you more of your money back, but you have to be able to pay out-of-pocket to begin w/. I don't have BCBS so I'm not sure if they're similar. 
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    bumpkin0684bumpkin0684
    If you are really interested in the Birth Center birth, please call your local birth center. I personally know Morning Star Birth Center's owner, and I know she does everything she can for you. She even has a person that fights with the insurance company for you. They have ways to get things covered. I know if you self pay you only have to bay 6500 out of pocket costs for your prenatal care and birth if you pay so much before 36weeks. She also can get some of the cost covered from before birth so you would get some if not all that money back. The number for Morning Star is 612-92 BIRTH!
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