Maternity with Obamacare

So it looks like the complications involved with individual maternity insurance will get much more simple after January 1st, 2014.  Maternity will now be an automatic benefit for all non-grandfathered or new health insurance policies on the 1st of next year.  That also means that even if you are already pregnant and your delivery occurs on or after the 1st, it will be covered under the provisions of the Affordable Care Act as long as you have an individual non-grandfathered health insurance policy in force.

The downside, if you're one of those who opt not to enroll in coverage during the open enrollment or subsequent annual enrollment periods, is that you won't be able to add coverage at any time.  So, if your plans are to wait and get health insurance after you find out that you're pregnant then you'll be taking a gamble.  Especially with the new subsidies available through Obamacare, not many people really has an excuse to be uninsured anymore.

As things stand now, if you apply for a maternity policy with an effective date in 2013, you may not get much benefit out of it.  You'll pay the hefty maternity rider fee for the remainder of the year, and if you deliver in 2014, the bulk of your cost would have been covered anyways.  The benefit of adding the rider this year is that prenatal care will be covered, but unless you hit your deductible before the end of the year, then the policy really won't pay for anything and then you'll have to meet your deductible in 2014 again when the policy renews.  I don't want to say not to get a maternity rider if you plan on getting pregnant this year, but the costs and benefits should be weighed with an agent first to determine if it's in your best interest.

If you'd like my advice feel free to visit my office or give me a call at: Blue Cross Blue Shield Authorized Agency - Goebelt Health Insurance, 212 S Tryon St, Suite 1605, Charlotte, NC 28281, 704-733-9015. Health Insurance Charlotte NC

If you'd like to stay abreast of future Obamacare updates, visit my website at: Obamacare NC.