Natural Birth
BFab11
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Options
Sh!t.
BFab11
member
My insurance won't cover a HB. For them to cover a MW's care, it has to be at a birth center with a supervising physician, which we don't have in NV. My options are pay $5k out of pocket for the birth I want, or find an OB and deliver in a hospital. I REALLY don't want to be in a hospital again.
I called my MW crying, we're meeting on Saturday to figure everything out. Uggghhhh.
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Re: Sh!t.
5k really? ours was 2200 here in phx.
Also see if you can call and say that since there are no birth centers if you can find a supervising physician will they cover a % of it or ALL of it. You may have to be pushy but if money is an issue then you can be as pushy (and by that I mean just calling and calling and calling etc and standing your ground) as you want.
5k seems like a lot. Our birth is 1500 and 25 per appt. Agree with above poster, you can still try to fight it, esp if there is no birth center around.
It's prenatal care, Bradley classes, the birth (including a birth pool rental), and a year of PP and well-baby care. It's actually 4.5 or 4.6k, but I'm rounding up to account for unexpected costs we might encounter.
I asked if I had a family doc overseeing everything could we do it and they're like, "no, not if you're at home." My MW doesn't have privileges in hospitals, and I really don't want to be in a hospital with the IVs and the epi available at the touch of a button because I don't think I'll say no, lol.
Why is my state so anti-natural birth??
Oh I'm sorry! Not even an out-of-network exception?
Our insurance only covers a percent of it - and it costs $8500!!!!
I just delivered in a hospital last week (promise to do my birth story soon!), and it was great. My hosp is very friendly to natural birth. They do have a floor for a birth center, but I delivered in regular L&D, did a HypnoBirth with a doula. The docs and nurses hardly came in the room! I was able to focus on the birth I wanted and wasn't temped to ask for an Epi. Though to me an Epi meant repeat c/s, so I knew not to go there in my mind.
Anyway, can you research some hosps in your area to see if any are more friendly to natural birth?
Call and call and call again. Talk to someone in charge, not a phone rep- often they are just quoting policy, but if you can talk to someone and explain that there ARE no birth centers w/physicians in the area you may be able to get it covered.
How much of a problem would it be to pay the $5K? On a scale of annoying to prohibitive? Because for everything you described- prenatal care, Bradley classes, birth, a year of well baby care- $5K doesn't sound ridiculous to me (or maybe I am just used to crappy insurance lol)
Like pp said, maybe your MW has a self-pay discount, or can set up a payment plan.
Good luck! I'm sorry you're dealing with this =(
She might have a self-pay discount, we're going to discuss everything when we meet with her on Saturday. She also has a woman who takes all our insurance info and fights on our behalf, so I might be able to get at least some of it paid for if both of us keep calling, lol.
My insurance has a "maternity management" program where basically I talk to a RN on the phone once a month throughout my pregnancy, and just for participating they cover the first $5k of my L&D at 100% (which would give me a FREE birth!), so I'm going to work really hard at that angle and see if they can still apply that to my L&D.
I fully expected to have to fight to get this paid for, but I guess I got my hopes up after 2 people told me that yeah, of course it would be covered. Stupid insurance people.
Mine is going to be $4000-$5000 to have it in a hospital with my insurance. We are on a private plan because my company insurance was worthless. My coworker paid $8k last year for her hospital birth
I would pay the extra to have it at home if that is what you wish. Good luck with everything!
I had to pay OOP for mine too. It was totally worth it in the end and I will do the same with baby #2.
Nurse MW can't even attend HBs in my state. Only CPM and DEMs.
I'm paying 4K out of pocket. Anything to stay out of the hospital.
I'm sorry, though, I know how hard it is. We're really struggling to pay it one month at a time.
Ok Brit here are my thoughts. Can you take out the Bradley classes and only do 6 weeks of PP and Well baby care?
My thoughts are after 6 weeks you don't need to see her (you can go to your OB who insurance covers) and as far as Well baby care, you are already taking Connor somewhere and I would assume you would take the new baby there as well.
If she'll let you pay by a certain point it may be cheaper as well because she knows you are going to pay.
See if you can cut some of those out and and get it down to a more reasonable number.
Also as far as insurance they may only cover the birth part of it and pre-natal care because the Well baby and PP would probably not be covered under the birth stuff anyways
I really hope things work out for you and you can still have the kind of birth you want. I'm glad you're talking to your midwife about this now while you still have plenty of time to work things out. The PPs gave you some great ideas (like payment plans, adjusting what services your MW will be providing, and even trying to fight the system) best of luck in making some or all of those come to fruition!
My home birth CNM charges $4k, I've only been seeing her since 24 weeks, and will see her for 6 weeks PP. It's a huge chunk of savings that we could use toward something else, but it is worth it to me to have what I believe to be the best birth experience for my baby and me. I tried fighting our insurance to absolutely no avail, and will be lucky if they cover a small % of it ... I'm not holding my breath.
Oh, that's actually a great idea! You're right, I plan on taking the new baby to Connor's pedi and after my 6 week check up if everything looks good I should be set.
I'm feeling better and better, but I did have a bit of a meltdown earlier. Disappointment + pregnancy hormones don't mix, lol. My MW is great and I know she cares about me and wants me to have the birth I want, so I think she'll be willing to work with me on a lot of stuff.
I sent my insurance an email after I got off the phone with them today, and I plan on alternating calls and emails until I can find someone who will try and work with me on this. Thank you ladies so much for your support, I'm going to do everything I can to make this happen!
Ooh that would be awesome! Hang in there- I hope you get it worked out!
This exactly! I really really hope it works out for you.
For a homebirth? Or a hospital birth?
I'm sorry!! Ours is not covered either, and we paid 6k out of pocket.
I completely refused the hospital this time, and owe my dad part of the cost, but I was going to do anything to get my home birth!! Good luck to you!