According to PregnancyInsurance.org, there are several insurance alternatives pregnant women can choose from should they be uninsured or underinsured:
· The use of midwives, doulas, birthing centers or home births can be a more affordable option than hospital births, but are generally advised for low-risk birthing only.
· Medicaid also can provide maternity coverage to women who have incomes below the federal poverty level, with requirements based largely on financial situations. Eligibility requirements vary per state.
· Maternity Prep is a company that offers discounted medical benefits to women who are pregnant and uninsured or lacking sufficient coverage. Coverage can be discounted between 10 and 50 percent, and goes from prenatal care to delivery and through the first two years of the baby’s life.
· AmeriPlan USA Corporation offers discounted prenatal and maternity health care through the first two years of the baby’s life. Rates are discounted via a monthly fee and are available for women who are pregnant and uninsured or lacking adequate coverage. It is not available in Alaska, Montana, Wyoming, Vermont, North Dakota, South Dakota or Puerto Rico.
· The Women, Infants and Children’s program (WIC) offers financial and nutritional assistance to pregnant women, new moms and children under the age of 5. The program assists women and children by providing health assessments, counseling on healthy eating and breastfeeding, and food purchasing assistance. To be eligible, applicants must fall below 185 percent of the U.S. poverty income guidelines.
· If a pregnant women is not eligible for any of the previous forms of maternity assistance, there may be one more option: Contact the billing department of the hospital and negotiate discounts, payment plans, etc. Though this would not be the popular choice, it may be a woman’s only choice.
States With Mandated Maternity Coverage for Individual Policies as of January 2010:
Alabama
California
Georgia
Illinois
Massachusetts
Montana
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
Oregon
Vermont
Washington
SOURCE: statehealthfacts.org
