According to the American Pregnancy Association, approximately 13 percent of pregnant women are not insured and need medical coverage. Maternity insurance provides coverage to a pregnant woman on a temporary basis. It can help cover costs of prenatal visits, your hospital stay and health screenings for the baby.
Benefits
Temporary maternity insurance can assuage the cost of prenatal medical care and the monies you need to pay out for labor and delivery charges. It is estimated that the average cost of delivery for a normal pregnancy is between $6,000 and $8,000. Temporary maternity insurance may not cover the entire amount, but it may give you access to a discounted or reduced rate.
Types
Examples of temporary maternity insurance programs include Maternity Advantage and AmeriPlan. Maternity Advantage plans can be taken out before or after you have found out you are expecting. AmeriPlan coverage is also available to women who are already pregnant.
Coverage
Maternity insurance covers a certain percentage of medical tests and costs. Maternity Advantage policies typically pay about 60 percent of the cost of prenatal visits, blood work, ultrasounds and the hospital stay for your delivery. AmeriPlan pays out about 50 percent of the cost of lab studies, doctor visits and hospital costs.
Features
To access coverage for temporary maternity insurance, you need to submit an application. Once approved, you need to continue to pay monthly premiums for the coverage to remain active. Certain plans may also subject you to deductibles and limits on the coverage. You may also need to use a doctor within the insurance company's network to access the discounted rates.
Considerations
AmeriPlan is not available in Alaska and Puerto Rico. However, Maternity Advantage is available to patients nationwide. If you qualify for Medicaid coverage, that is a better option than temporary maternity insurance. Medicaid is offered to low-income individuals and covers pre-existing conditions, such as pregnancy.
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