On average, 13% of all women in the United States who become pregnant have no medical insurance, while countless others do not have enough coverage. This can result in a great deal of anxiety and stress in what should be one of the happiest times of a woman’s life. With the importance of prenatal care throughout the whole pregnancy, it is important that a pregnant woman go to routine doctors appointments. The cost of delivery and the hospital stay can end up costing between $6,000 and $8,000 for a vaginal birth, and as much as $12,000 for a cesarean if paid for out of pocket.There are, however, a great deal of options available to help overcome the overwhelming costs of pregnancy.
Medicaid is a federally funded program that will provide complete health coverage for women with low income. There are also programs through most states that will offer additional coverage. To find more information, you should go to your local Department of Human Services (DHS) office. It’s as simple as filling out a form and submitting a proof of pregnancy from your doctor. If you recieve coverage, it will be retroactive, which means any doctors appointments you’ve been to will be covered. If you have to make an appointment, most doctor’s offices will not bill you for the visit if you tell them you’ve applied for Medicaid or the health insurance provided by the state, even if you haven’t been approved yet. Once you are approved, if they have billed you it’s as simple as calling your doctor and telling them your healthcare is in effect, and they will take care of everything for you.
There are other options that aren’t medical coverage, but they do help with the costs. MaternityCard is a program that for a low monthly fee, you can start a maternity plan and save as much as 60% on your doctor’s visits, sonograms, labor and delivery, and also you’re post-delivery hospital stay. AmeriPlan is another discount program that can lower all medical bills, not just the ones for the pregnancy, by up to 50%. If there is no possible way to get any kind of help with the cost of pregnancy, there is the option of going directly to a doctor associated with a large hospital. Many times the doctor and hospital can help you set up some kind of payment plan, often at a discounted price, if it is an uncomplicated pregnancy. If the doctor says that can’t be done, just try finding other doctors. Eventually you should have some kind of luck. There is also the option of delivering at a birthing center, which is about a third less than the cost of delievering at a hospital.
Which ever option you decide, research it fully to ensure that it is the right plan for you. Sometimes plans can be combined together to lower costs even more. The internet is a great resource, as is your local DHS office. Talking to your doctor may also clear up any questions that you have. So if you are pregnant, and are feeling overwhelmed because of lack of insurance, rest assured, there are people out there willing to help.
