C-Sections & Higher Insurance Costs
An article in the nytimes.com posted the dismal news about a woman who was seeking health insurance and abruptly turned down.
At first she didn’t understand how that was possible since she had been in perfect health and only 39, but later learned that she was turned down because she had had a prior c-section birth.
The insurance company went on to explain that if she were to get pregnant again, she would most likely have another c-section and that being the case the insurance provider didn’t want to pay for it.
With over 30% of women having c-sections it’s likely that many more women will be encountering such coverage problems.
It may not be the policy of all insurance companies to deny coverage completely instead they may include a rider in a policy that excludes cesarean deliveries, charge higher premiums or deductibles. C-sections occur for various reasons, however we have noticed that more and more are occurring for reasons of convenience or to meet specific due dates. With such insurance policies coming into play we may see less of these type of choices, however what about the woman who truly needs a c-section? Where does that leave her when it comes to future pregnancies? It strikes me as a bit unfair.
What you can do?
If your doctor suggests a c-section, make sure you discuss and thoroughly understand why a c-section is necessary.
If your last birth was a c-section you may be a good candidate for a VBAC (vaginal birth after a c-section). I discuss these topics in the Worry Free C-Section, but suffice it to say, you need to examine all the ‘what ifs’ and make sure a c-section is truly necessary. Make sure you feel comfortable with your doctor’s decision on having a c-section.
If you are a victim of not being able to get pre-natal insurance, you may want to look into the benefits of maternity card, a national maternity network that provides benefits for doctors, labs and hospitals.
How about you? Have you been denied insurance benefits due to having a previous c-section?
