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| | | According to Insure.com, federal law bars group health insurance plans that cover maternity from considering pregnancy a pre-existing condition. If you change group health plans while pregnant, under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), any group health insurer that covers maternity cannot deny claims related to pregnancy. | | |
| Typical costs: | - According to Dr.Spock.com the cost of having a baby depends on where you live. The average ranges from $6,000 to $8,000 for a normal vaginal delivery and $10,000 to $12,000 for a cesarean birth (in some parts of the country, the costs can reach $14,000). Care with a nurse-midwife may cost less; a complicated pregnancy will cost more; and some practitioners and hospitals offer a sliding scale based on family income.
- Depending on whether a person has insurance and what kind of coverage they have, baby delivery fees that parents pay out-of-pocket can vary. HMO plans can cover maternity and prenatal care and well-child visits with only small co-payments ($0-$15 a visit). For many PPO and POS healthcare plans, there may be deductibles (usually $500-$2,500) or coinsurance payments (up to 30%) or more, depending on the plan. A low-end plan could have a $2,500 family deductible and a 30% coinsurance payment.
- Note: With many individual health insurance plans (that you buy yourself, not through an employer) maternity care (pre and postnatal care, and labor and delivery hospital stay) are not covered.
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| Additional costs: | - Prenatal care, postpartum visits and well-child visits after birth can add significant costs, although these expenses are often covered by health insurance.
- According to the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (an agency of the USDA), the average annual expenditures on infants 0-2 years olds for food, clothing, health care, transportation and miscellaneous costs varies from an average of $3,400 by families that make an average of $27,000 to more than $6,400 a year for families making an average of $109,000. Child care and education costs average an additional $1,080 - $2,700 a year, respectively.
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| Discounts: | - Womenshealth.gov suggests calling 1-800-311-BABY for information on free or reduced-cost prenatal care and offers financial aid facts with more advice.
- MSN Money suggests looking into a health care flexible spending account, which allows you to pay for qualifying expenses with pretax dollars.
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| Shopping for baby delivery: | - The Wizard of Health Insurance warns that not all health insurance policies cover pregnancy expenses. Find out what your plan covers and, if your current coverage is lacking, it's important to switch plans or find supplemental insurance that will cover your maternity costs.
- Nolo offers a useful checklist of questions to ask your employer's benefits department about your insurance coverage.
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Material on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. For medical decisions, always consult your physician for the right course for your infant or child.
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Article updated February 2007 |
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