Comments for Desperatly wanting natural birth but insurance uncooperative...

pregnancy, breastfeeding, childbirth, homebirth

Comments for
Desperatly wanting natural birth but insurance uncooperative...

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Mar 25, 2010
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I wish I knew then...
by: Natural Pregnancy Mentor - Alisha

All of these amazing comments... to think I cancelled our insurance because they never paid for anything... I should have hounded them more!!!

My husband was not thrilled about having to pay for our second birth out of pocket... he thought I should just go back to the birth center... I refused - respectfully, of course!! =D

I found a wonderful midwife who was willing to let me work off a portion of the fee... building shelves, sewing curtains, helping with taxes... We happened to recieve backpay from my husbands VA benefits which he very kindly shared for our homebirth...

Neither of us has any regrets.... I know it seems like a lot of money, but keep your focus on what you want - and you WILL be provided for!!

We are looking forward to hearing about your awesome birth!!

God Bless,
Alisha

Mar 25, 2010
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Big Thanks
by: Anonymous

Ladies,

Thank you so much for your encouraging and helpful comments!!! After reading all your comments I am determined not to give up.

I am going to take your suggestions and work hard at getting the birth I want and need. I cannot thank you enough!! :)

Cara

Mar 25, 2010
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Exemption for Insufficient Coverage!
by: Anonymous

You can get coverage....you just need to "hassle" your insurance company a little bit.

There is a clause in ALL insurance that is known as an 'exemption for insufficient coverage.' Meaning they must provide payment for what you want, if they don't offer a similar choice.

For instance, if they had a midwife they would cover for homebirth, you would have to go with that midwife, but since they do not have anyone that they cover for homebirth, they must cover your midwife for your homebirth. It will take some time, and possibly numerous calls to your insurance company...but keep after then, and know the insurance 'lingo' and you can and will get what you need!

GL with your homebirth!!!!

Mar 24, 2010
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I was in your situation
by: Cristina Berger

I have Blue Cross and live in San Antonio. There is only one midwife practice attached to one of the hospitals that is covered by the insurance.

We also have one Birth Center in my area. Not being able to pay for the birth center, I reluctantly accepted to go to the midwife/OB practice.

Luckily I didn't get along with one of the midwives because she delivered her baby with epidural and was planning to do the same with the next one. I complained about this attitude to the chief midwife and ended up getting kicked out of their practice.

I was desperate thinking that I will have to go back to my OB, but luckily a friend of mine that used to work for insurance companies told me that according to their policy if someone refuses service and there is no one else in the area, then the insurance company has to make a PPO exception for someone who is out-of-network.

I called the insurance and they were unbelievable nice about it and ended up paying 100% for my birth and told me that they wish more people go to birth centers because it is cheaper to them.

They didn't even ask me for the proof that I got kicked out, so if I was you I would call the insurance and come up with some reason why you and the medwife are not getting along and see if you can convince them to cover the birth center.

Tell them how much cheaper it will be etc. The good thing about getting the waiver is that if you go to the birth center but something happens and you end up in the hospital, the insurance will pay for both.

Mar 24, 2010
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You can do it!!!
by: Shlonda

Cara,

I had a similar experience and what ended up happening with us is that we had to budget hard and tight and pay out of pocket and submit the MW/BC bill to the insurance to get a remibursement....it was hard and a rough time but I and my husband will never regret it!

He is more of an advocate for natural pregnancy and birth than me sometimes! You can do it!

Don't give up...keep calling mailing letters get whomever you have to involved!

Mar 24, 2010
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Insurance and out of hospital birth
by: Natural Pregnancy Mentor - Florence

Hi Cara,

My advice would be to hound the insurance company, enlist the help of the birth center and to not give up.

We paid for our births. Alisha - the other owner to this site - did the same. She bartered with her midwife. There are ways!!! Do not give up on the birth of your dreams!

Mar 24, 2010
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Don't give up!
by: Lindsey

I have had many friends that have demanded help in paying for something that the insurance refused to pay for.

They just kept on asking to talk to someone else until they got to someone that was willing to cooperate.

Most recently, this was a friend that ended up getting her entire bill for the midwife paid for, and this was an underground midwife for a homebirth!

Although, she only got riembursed a few months after the birth.

On the other hand. When I went through what you are going through with my third child, it just became important enough to me to have the birth that was most safe in my opinion. My husband was in grad school full time, I was a stay at home mom working little side jobs to make extra money and we just put our trust in God to take care of the rest. We bit the bullet, cut back in every area possible (which aren't many when you make about 15,000 a year).

We ended up paying our midwife out of pocket for our homebirth and I never regreted it!! : )

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