Two-Minute
Guide to Maternity Coverage
Please take
two minutes and read this simple guide, you will have a clear
understanding of what your options are regarding maternity coverage.
I realize that the web page can be confusing and I hope this
clears things up.
You can of course call us at 800-272-0512. However, the first thing I will ask you is if you have read through the site, clicked on the links and looked at the plans. If you have not, I will tell you to do so and call me back. So, please, at least take a few minutes and look at what we offer. Then call me with your questions.
All of the plans
mentioned on this page have no waiting period. You can become
pregnant as soon as the plan starts – but, with one exception, not before.
Let us start with
a few important facts:
| 1. |
If
you are already pregnant, we can provide a limited benefit plan that will help you cover some of your maternity expenses.
Flash - We now have a plan that you can get even if you are pregnant. For details click on this pregnancy insurance link |
| 2. |
All of our plans can be used with your current health insurance or by themselves.
You can keep what you have and add these plans. Or, you
can use these supplements as your primary health plan. |
| 3. |
We
sell limited medical health insurance plans that will cover
maternity expenses in the same way they cover all other
illness. There is no such thing as standalone maternity
insurance. I know I keep saying this, but people keep calling
asking for the “maternity insurance plan”. As
long we are talking about the same thing, I am fine with
the term. I just do not want to be misleading. |
| 4. |
If you are self-employed (or your spouse is), I can give you a group health insurance plan that will cover maternity, even if you are already pregnant.. |
First,
I want to explain a very important concept that will save most
of you a considerable amount of money.
All of our plans
are PPO plans. That means that the bill first goes to the insurance
company where it is significantly discounted. Insurance companies
have special discounted rates for all services. They do not
pay what you and I pay for medical services.
If the providers are
in the network, you will be entitled to receive the reduced
PPO rates for the doctor, labs and hospital. I cannot give you
the exact pricing as this is not public information. But, a
hospitalization for a normal delivery could easily be reduced
to as little as $1,800 (or less). The ability to have everything
re-priced at the insurance company’s discounted rates
could save you thousands.
How
a Limited Health Plan Works
All of these plans
pay out specified amounts towards specific expenses. In other
words, if a plan benefit sheet said that it will pay $100 for
a physician visit, it literally means that it will cover up
to $100 of expenses per visit for up to a certain number of
visits per year. A few examples might help.
Our Homeland SureCare Plus plan
pays out $2,000 for the first three days in the hospital and $1,000
for each additional day. It does not matter whether this is
for maternity or because you are having your gall bladder out.
The plans cover maternity the same as any other illness. So,
for a normal delivery with two days in the hospital, the plan
would pay $4,000 in hospital charges ($2,000 the first day and
$1,000 the second). A five day stay for a c-section would provide
$8,000 in hospital payment. This is in addition to payment for surgical,
lab and doctor fees.
The same plan pays
$75 a visit for up to six office visits. Therefore, the plan
will pay up to $450 for office visits that are not considered
“well” visits or preventive care. This is an important
distinction. The visit must not be coded as a wellness visit.
Just remind your physician’s office, they will know what
you mean.
It also pays out
amounts for diagnostic testing and a fairly generous surgical benefit.
Here is a table of some of the benefits:
| Homeland |
$90 to $339 per month |
| Hospital |
Up to $1,000
per day |
| First
Day Hospital |
Up to $2,000
for first three days (depending on plan) |
| Physician
Office Visits |
$50 - $75
per visit/up to 6 visits per year |
| Diagnostic
Lab/X-ray |
$50 to $125
per test/6 tests per year |
| PPO
Network |
Multiplan or BeechStreet (depends on plan) |
Which
Plan Should I Choose?
Now that we have
the basic concepts of how the plans work, let me give you some
hints on which plan to choose.
Selecting the right plan is a balance between the cost of the plan over the time you will have it and the amount of payoff the plan provides.
All of our plans provide access to a PPO network. So, you will be able to receive the discounted or PPO rate for services. However, we recommend that you call the hospital and see what rate you can negotiate on your own. It might be less than the PPO rate in certain instances.
This of course brings up the question, "How do I know what the PPO rates are?" The answer is you don't. You will need the billing or insurance office at the hospital to cooperate with you and let you know which is the best deal.
| |
If you just want a plan that will give you minimal help for hospitalization ($600 a day) and some office visit coverage (pays $50 for first 5 visits), then the Fusion2 plan is your best bet. It also gives you the BeechStreet PPO network and a number of other benefits.
To view this plan you can use this Basic Maternity Insurance Assistance link. |
| |
If you want more extensive plans, you can view our SureCare plans. The best is the SureCare Plus but the other plans will also provide substantial coverage.
To view these plans use this Supplements with Materntiy Coverage link. |
| |
If you are already pregnant or the state you live in is not covered by our SureCare plans, you can use one of our NPX series plans.
To view the NPX series plans please use this Supplements that Cover Pregnancy link. |
If you are already pregnant
If you are already pregnant then the only plan we can offer you is our NPX series of mini-medical or limited benefit plans. You can view the plans and enroll directly online with this Already Pregnant link. The best plan is the NPX4. It is the most expensive, but you will get the most benefit from it. Since you are already pregnant, there is no question that you will be using it soon.
To view the NPX4 plan you can use this already pregnant link.
The Most Important Piece of Information I Can Share With You
I want to share something with you. It is very important. I don't care whether you have maternity coverage or not. But, before you get pregnant, you must have some type of health insurance. If there is a complication or, God forbid, there is a problem with the newborn, the expenses will take your breath away and clean you out.
Now What?
Now you are in a
better position to choose a plan. You now know that:
Maternity insurance
means a supplement to help with maternity costs and will not
cover everything. Use the links you find on this page to explore the different plans.
Any of these plans
will reduce your expenses through PPO re-pricing discounts.
Still Confused? Give me a call and I
will help you as best I can.
We
are available:
9
am to 8 pm EST Mon – Thursday
9 am to 6 pm on Friday
Our
number is 800-272-0512