Rose tea

I've seen people post about this before so I thought I'd add our experience to the pool.

I discovered I was pregnant last summer with my first child, and I was able to get maternity care starting at 5 weeks pregnant. I work for a university and part of their health insurance plan includes access to all the university hospital's services at little to no additional cost. All of my maternity care, from checkups to blood tests to ultrasounds, was $0 copay. So, cost of all maternity services from 0 - 9 months, including two trips to the ER for obstetric patients: $8, and that was for a prescription.

I was given the option by my clinic to see a midwife or an OB, and I chose a midwife because my pregnancy was low risk with no complications. I was very happy with my midwife care. It was very low intervention and I had very few tests and procedures. I gave birth at the university hospital, whose labour and delivery ward is run by midwives. The hospital has a low c-section rate and a low epidural rate and does not perform elective c-sections or elective inductions, which appealed to me, and the only intervention I had during labour was a saline drip and some monitoring of the baby's heartbeat. Everything else, I could choose to ask for if I wanted it.

For triage, delivery and room and board, the amount billed to insurance was just over $6,000. Our cost is going to be about $950. I didn't have an epidural so that reduced the cost I'm sure. I'm frugal to the end We chose to hire a doula for the birth, which, as some people here may know, is a non-medical support person who helps with the birth and the postnatal period. They're quite common in our state and our hospital was very welcoming to her. It was a really busy day at L&D so she was great for support when the midwife was rushing in and out so much. The cost for her services was $800 and she was worth every penny.

I was extremely happy with the quality of my prenatal care, hospital care, and postnatal care. My advice is to shop around for maternity care and make sure to double check what's covered and what's not; I found a great clinic at the start who told me at the end of our conversation, "You do know that we're out of network for you, right?" This was despite them being listed as in network on my insurance company's website. Typical. It worked out well though, because I switched to university hospital care soon afterwards.

Happy to answer any questions people might have.

Sally Redux

Congratulations!

The experience sounded good, I think the midwife option keeps intervention down.

augigi

Thanks for the info... just found out I'm 7 weeks pregnant with first bub so this is useful. Wow you are lucky you have such amazing insurance. I think my first ultrasound will cost me more than your whole pregnancy.

markonline1

My wife is due to have our baby in November (her second). To be honest, as soon as she told me we get a steak and a glass of champagne after the delivery, I've sort of zoned out everything else LOL.

Bob

Congrats!

Glad it went well

I think I posted our experience of one of the bobetts flailings at some point.

Rose tea

Ah yes, we got this as well! Had forgotten already.

Rose tea

I think it definitely does. I ended up needing an OB for the birth and even they were very low intervention.

markonline1

And they say US healthcare is bad LOL

notshipman

A lot of misnomers float around regarding US healthcare and because there is some user contribution you do get some choice on things unlike in the UK where there is this is what it is take it or leave it mentality.

Bob

Aye, down to cost. If you're willing or able to pay, you get choice in both the UK or the US.

Otherwise, most often, there isn't choice. Then again, some of that choice is limited to what your state allows.

Really, you need to stop taking all these health threads off track with your rants of NHS shit, USA god and that those of us that are actually here and using it not knowing what we're talking about because it gets very, very tiresome :/

SultanOfSwing

That's awfully fancy. We got sandwiches.

Granted, it was limitless, as many as I could eat sandwiches, but sandwiches nonetheless. Oh, I did get one hot meal the day of the birth but it wasn't steak

Congrats, by the way, Rose Tea.

jackattack

Wow. You must be something special. Steak and champagne!

I thought that we had pretty good insurance and all I got was a cup of apple juice and some ice chips (which I then promptly threw up).

WEBlue

That's about how I felt. I certainly didn't want a steak dinner after giving birth 25 years ago in the US. Maybe a week later, but not soon after....

The husband did bring champagne to my room afterwards--in those days I think there was a no-alcohol rule in the hospital, so he had to smuggle it in--but I could only have one sip before I felt quite nauseated.

Can't believe there is steak & champers now served in an American hospital but I suppose I'm behind the times...

SultanOfSwing

Not sure about the champagne, but my wife said when her son was born, they got steak and lobster. The ****ers

florida12

Myself and my USC BF are definitely wanting our first, once I am permitted to start my life with him once my K1 is over process is complete. However, I have been so worried about the expenses etc of us being parents. How does one cope with the expenses, when 1) I am out of work. ( we both want to state a family asap as been together for so long already but separate if that makes sense) and 2) he has his own business but only 2 years into it now but not very good money as of yet. Fingers cross it will grow. However we're both in our early 40's (I will be 41 by the time K1 is done. he will be 43. )
Probably our first and only. How do I go about shopping around? We will be in California. Love your post and so grateful that someone has finally put on here one of my concerns.