questions about natural childbirth

RKeith22 · May 2013

Hi, my husband is military and we have Tricare Prime (the free one that doesn't cost any money). We will be trying to conceive soon and as long as my pregnancy goes smoothly, I would like to do a natural childbirth in a hospital. Does Tricare prime cover natural childbirth in a hospital setting or in a birthing center setting?

J+MS · May 2013

Tricare will cover your birth in a hospital, as natural (im assuming anyway) is just without drugs, so you're saving them money, really. Last I heard, they do not cover birthing center services. Edited.

J+MS · May 2013

and to add, Tricare standard does not cost monthly, but it does cost when it comes to appointments and such.

RKeith22 · May 2013

yea I have the one that is free every month and I don't have to pay for anything except for my dental and for contacts and glasses.

esullivan05 · May 2013

JMS:
The 'free one' is tricare standard, not Tricare Prime. Tricare will cover your birth in a hospital, as natural im assuming anyway is just without drugs, so you're saving them money, really. Last I heard, they do not cover birthing center services.

Both prime and standard are free to have, however with standard you risk having to pay out of pocket. With both prime and standard coverage, maternity care is covered.

As far as going natural, both plans will cover hospital care. Natural home births are only covered under standard.

J+MS · May 2013

esullivan05:
JMS:
The 'free one' is tricare standard, not Tricare Prime. Tricare will cover your birth in a hospital, as natural im assuming anyway is just without drugs, so you're saving them money, really. Last I heard, they do not cover birthing center services.
Both prime and standard are free to have, however with standard you risk having to pay out of pocket. With both prime and standard coverage, maternity care is covered. As far as going natural, both plans will cover hospital care. Natural home births are only covered under standard.

I remember paying something each month for prime, although it wasn't very much at all ETA: It was Dental I'm thinking of.

esullivan05 · May 2013

That makes sense.. both plans still require you to pay for dental.

I would have stayed on prime for my pregnancy but I was unhappy with our base hospital. I switched to standard to be able to choose my own doctor. So far, everything has been covered.

LyndseylovesHugh · May 2013

J+MS:
and to add, Tricare standard does not cost monthly, but it does cost when it comes to appointments and such.

Not for pregnancy related appointments. I was on Standard and every single thing was covered from my first appointment through my c-section and even my two follow-up appointments (at 2 weeks and 6 weeks). If the doctor is in network and codes it medically necessary it will be covered. The only thing I had to pay for out of pocket was a daily fee while I was in recovery. I forget the exact amount but it was about $17 per day, I was in the hospital for three days after she was born and my bill was approx. $50.

iluvmytxrgr · May 2013

Tricare Prime will cover a birth center birth if you can get a referral for it.

Etta07 · May 2013

All of the other answers were good to answer your question I'm just going to add that my experience in a hospital with natural birth was ok but not exactly what I wanted. I had a doula which was great and part of the reason my plan stayed on track, the hospital apparently got me to sign the anesthesia agreement and tried telling me they were coming back with the epidural, it was then that my support team noticed what was going on and kicked him out and told him that wasn't what I wanted. (this will happen pretty much any hospital and isn't military specific but figured I'd share my experience)

Bluescarf · May 2013

My hospital had a separate natural birthing floor and everything was covered there with the midwives the same as if I had had a birth any other way. All covered except the cost of the birthing tub.

babywisher · May 2013

I had a hospital natural birth. Everything was covered. It went perfectly how I wanted also. Greatest experience of my life. Good luck to you.

Oasismomma · May 2013

Tricare would have covered my birth center, but at the time I had my own insurance through my employer and that was my primary insurance. I'm sure it depends on the birth center.

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