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Maternity Insurance Coverage

What is Maternity Coverage?

Maternity coverage is not a stand-alone insurance plan but a benefit associated with some health insurance plans to help cover medical expenses associated with pregnancy and delivery. Pregnant women may receive inadequate prenatal care if they are uninsured. Coupled with the costs of visiting an OB-GYN and hospital stays, an uninsured pregnancy can result in thousands in expenses that you will have to pay out of pocket.

Ensuring Coverage for Pregnancy and Postnatal Care

Because pregnancy is typically considered a pre-existing medical condition that may disqualify you from obtaining individually-purchased coverage, you should apply for a health insurance plan that offers maternity coverage well before becoming pregnant, if possible. If you already have an existing individual health insurance plan without maternity coverage, you may be able to request a maternity rider, which is an amendment to an insurance policy allowing for additional coverage.
Whether you are seeking a health insurance plan with maternity coverage or a maternity rider, many health insurance plans require a waiting period (typically 6 months to 1 year) before maternity coverage kicks in. However, rules may vary by state.

What Services are Covered for Expecting Mothers?

Health insurance plans that offer maternity coverage will typically cover part or all of the medical cost during a woman′s pregnancy. Coverage is broken down into inpatient and outpatient services. Typically, inpatient coverage includes hospitalization and physician fees associated with child birth. Outpatient coverage pays for prenatal and postnatal OB-GYN office visits.
The amount of maternity coverage you receive will differ from plan to plan. Certain health insurance plans will apply your annual deductible before covering part or all of your medical expenses while others may waive the deductible requirement. Also, your daily copayments for your hospital stay can differ. Before applying for a health insurance plan, it is important to select the plan that will help reduce your out-of-pocket costs and best fit your maternity coverage needs.

Finding Affordable Maternity Health Coverage

We work with many health insurance companies that offer maternity coverage. To see what plans are available in your state, get a free personalized quote by entering your ZIP code above. Health insurance plans displaying the icon , offer maternity coverage. Select the health insurance plan that fits your needs and apply for maternity coverage within minutes.

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