What about the insurance?

Question

My husband and I are wanting to have another child. We are in a much different place financially now then when we had our first. We have insurance with a $5000 deductible. The bills I received from my last hospital visit topped $13,000 (because of C-section). What can I expect to pay for a vaginal birth in a hopital? Over $5000?

I would never put a price on a child, just trying to prepare.

Answer 1

You need to make sure you have maternity coverage, individual plans can have a waiting period from 90 days out to 9 months before conception can occur if you have the maternity coverage.

Most group plans have maternity and there would not be a waiting period, you can even join a group plan during pregnancy.

Without insurance most hospitals will negotiate a lower price if you make monthly payments in advance. In VA I had a client get the price lowered to $3,500 by the hospital

Another option is going with a Health Savings Account qualified plan. Then the $5,000 you spend would be able to be written off your taxes like an IRA. This will save you quite a bit of money in taxes.

Blue Cross and Assurant offer HSA plans with maternity coverage. Assurant only has 90 day wait.

Answer 2

Does your health insurance cover maternity? Most individual plans don't; most group plans do. Complications of pregnancy is covered in all states which I'm aware.

In my area a normal birth will run $4500 to $6500, depending upon which hospital.