Insurance in Texas!

We are under a group policy with my husband's work, but we are members of Blue Cross/Blue Shield and we have HMO Blue Texas. I don't know the cost, because we pay a small portion, but when I was pregnant in 2008/09, I paid the initial co-pay of a specialist for my first OB appt. ($40) and then I didn't pay for any additional visits. I also paid the hospital co-pay of ($500) and that was all my out of pocket expenses, besides prescriptions. It maybe something ot look into.

See if there is a State/Government funded insurance.
Many States have that. It usually costs less.

A group policy is the only way to get maternity coverage in Texas. You can also opt to pay cash. Most doctors and hospitals will cut you a 20 -30% discount. (A few years ago before we got pregnant with our second I found one or two companies, but the prices were outrageous. And you had to be on the plan for a year to get any maternity coverage...paying cash would have been cheaper. I don't think those options even exist any longer)

I'm sad to say that unless it is group insurance (through a company) that you can not get maternity coverage (as an individual). A year ago I was REALLY wanting to be a surrogate. I had a part time job, but only individual insurance. The surrogate agencies wouldn't accept me without maternity coverage. I really searched and searched, but was told (by more than one company) that it was not available in TX.

My husband and I are both self employed so we are very familiar with insurance. The only way to have maternity coverage is with a group policy in the state of Texas. You can get insurance on you own or for your family - we have Aetna - and their are many, many options to keep the cost down, but you will never get maternity. If you get pregnant all the costs are negotiable with the doctor and the hospital. Welcome to Texas:)

My kids and I have health insurance through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas. We used an independent insurance agent (who is fabulous) to find us the best plan. I delivered my second child without maternity insurance. My OB/GYN offered a 7 month payment plan (and a discounted rate) since my insurance didn't cover maternity. Also, I went to the hospital that I delivered at when I was just 8 weeks pregnant to discuss payment options. They told me that a normal vaginal birth runs around $9000 and that if I paid all of the cost up front before I delivered that they only charged $3200 (that is not exact but it was right around there). I paid it all up front and only had an extra bill for the epidural (which I negotiated down once I got the bill ~ 60% discount).
I had my first child while I was insured through my job and I went back and compared the prices (I'm a nerd like that :)) and determined that I paid less for the birth of my second child - without maternity coverage- than I did for my first child because of the discounts that I got with my second and the cheaper premiums I was paying for my BC/BS plan.
Just FYI ~ good luck with your insurance search. I have a great independent honest insurance agent ( Rick Moore at Alkali - http://www.alkaliservices.com/individual-health-insurance.... If you decide to contact him just let him know that D. Hamilton referred you. He's great and will give your sister all the options to make the best decision for her.
Let me know if you have any questions!
D.

If your sister does choose the "self-pay" look into using the midwife groups that provide care to low risk pregnancies AND save you a ton of $$. they are affiliated with hospitals and a larger physician group. They do deliver in hospitals and if your sister wants to pay for the epidural and anethstesiologist (sp) she is welcome to.
When I got pregnant with my first, my hubby had aweful insurance and I opted for midwives for a few reasons - not cost - and was plesantly suprised by the fee schedule. I also was so broke I opted not to use the epidural and was just fine:)
Good luck!

Not cover a pregnancy? That doesn't seem right. Did you mean to say, "Not cover infertility treatments, IVF, IUI, etc?" That's more like it. We have United Health Care. They covered the pregnancy, including the gestational diabetes, but everything we clinically did to get pregnant was cash out of pocket. During the pregnancy there were co-pays, and we also paid a portion of the delivery - about $3,000 out of $16,000.

Never heard of insurance in Texas that doesnt cover maternity. I have heard of insurance that will not cover materity that wasnt a natural pregnancy i.e. IVF. I would do a google search or contact a local insurance broker. Best of luck

If you are looking at individual insurance, it will be hard to find but it is out there - you will just a pay a lot!

healthplanfinder.com

When I moved to Texas we had to get insurance and I find this broker who is wonderful!!! After talking with him I know more about insurance than I would like to, haha! I did not have pregnancy insurace because we got pregnant first, but he did tell me about paying docs and hospitals up front and in cash and they will give you a discount.
Also, you don't pay him the insurance companys do. just go on his site, fill out what you need and he will do the rest. Tell him Melissa Q sent you, we have used him now for 2 years!

we have blue cross/blue shield of Texas- through my husband's work- they provide insurance for pregnancy. And if she does need assistance- I was on medicaid for my first couple of pregnancies in TX because we didn't have insurance through work. Best of luck!
~C.

Our major medical insurance didn't cover maternity and the waiver was too expensive to add. Our agent who I thought was pretty unscrupulous told us if we got pregnant to call him and he would drop my policy so I could get on Medicade...uh, no thank you.

So we ended up paying for my second pregnancy out of pocket. My OB had a payment plan (a little bit each month for seven months, had to have him paid by then or he wouldn't deliver). We scrimped and saved to pay for the hospital. We ended up very blessed that my husband got a new job three months before my daughter was born and our new insurance covered her birth.

Good luck...let us know what you find out!!

We use Aetna through my husbands work. Might I recommend Lake Pointe Women's Center in Rowlett. They are WONDERFUL. Doctor Gillean especially :)

This is true. I asked my insurance broker about finding medical insurance with maternity coverage and he said most individual insurance company will not cover maternity. (He may have even said none will, I don't remember for sure.)