How to Cover a Pregnancy With Health Insurance

The average cost of having a baby is $6,378 for a normal delivery, $10,638 for a cesarean. The best way to ensure your pregnancy will be covered by health insurance is to plan ahead, making sure you obtain insurance before you become pregnant.

Things You'll Need

• Health Insurance Policy Covering Pregnancy

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Instructions

• 1

  Try to have health insurance before you get pregnant. If you haven't had insurance coverage at all and then get insured through a group plan, the new health plan does not have to immediately cover your pregnancy and could make you wait a couple of months before coverage is offered.

• 2

  Find out what kind of coverage your health plan or prospective plan provides for birth, adoption and pregnancy. Look at what type of maternity, preventive and well-baby care the plan provides.

• 3

  Ask potential employers if the health insurance they offer covers maternity.

• 4

  Avoid switching jobs if you are pregnant. If you do begin a new job during a pregnancy, it is possible that you might have to wait up to a couple of months for coverage.

• 5

  Consider applying for Medicaid if you are uninsured and meet the program's low-income requirements.

• 6

  Contact your state insurance department for more information on how to cover your pregnancy and ask what other types of low-cost insurance plans they offer.

• 7

  Think about applying for COBRA to cover your pregnancy if you are between plans. COBRA is a federal law that provides health insurance for qualified workers, their spouses and their dependent children if they are between plans.

• 8

  Try to get on a group health plan through your job or a professional organization if you are uninsured and pregnant. These will be less expensive than purchasing individual insurance.