Are you planning on having children soon? Of course, we all know kids that weren’t planned! Is there a chance you could be having a child in the not-too-distant future? A normal vaginal delivery in a hospital could cost you $10-15k. Maternity coverage is included (by law) in all employer-sponsored group health insurance plans, but it is never a standard feature of an individual health insurance plan. Complications of pregnancy are covered in a good plan, but the routine expenses associated with maternity care won’t be covered, meaning the insurance company will not pay and you technically don’t have to receive provider network discounts, which can be very significant.
Many individual health insurance plans don’t even offer maternity coverage. Some do offer it as an option you can add to your policy (with added expense, of course). These individual maternity plans often include a waiting period before coverage starts, and often coverage graduates in over a period of time. Some of these plans are decent, and others aren’t typically worth what you pay.
In South Carolina, for example, there are really only 2-3 carriers that offer a decent individual maternity benefit option, and these are structured in completely different ways. Each has pros and cons. If you’re already pregnant (or an expectant father), you won’t be able to get individual insurance coverage at all actually. If you have it, you won’t be able to add maternity. The take-home point is this: If you want to be covered in the event of pregnancy, you need to take steps now.
If you’re looking for individual health insurance or are wanting to add maternity coverage, contact AC Forrest to discuss the options available and get a free, no-obligation quote.