New ground-breaking bill would let New York pregnant women buy health insurance

Undoubtedly, most women greet their time of pregnancy with exceeding joy as they are utterly excited about hailing a new life. But this joyful time can cause a lot of anxiety when the excited couple go through their health insurance plan only to figure out that either there is no trace of pregnancy coverage in their insurance plan or the deductible is too high. That’s when dreams turn into nightmares as the couple start looking for all possible ways to afford the entire expense related to their child’s birth.

It is such a burning issue that they cannot turn their faces away from. It is an undeniable fact that millions of women hardly receive any health insurance and this is the chief reason behind the increasing mortality rates and higher rate of new-born babies with low weight. About 13 percent of all pregnant women in the US are not covered by any sort of health care scheme . This alarming rate does evoke serious risk for pregnant women and also for babies in their womb.

Prenatal examinations all over the world are generally quite expensive and US is no exception. The cost of these tests and hospital admission cost along with delivery fees could eventually lead to thousands of dollars. Furthermore, if complication arises during the time of delivery or if that is a case of premature or cesarean delivery the expenses will jump up even higher.

Till date, pregnant women have a few options available so that they can provide themselves with quality medical protection at the most affordable price. Lets take a look at two of those most effective options.

Supplemental Insurance -

There are many health insurance organizations around that sell supplemental health policy for pregnant women for an extra cost. However, the downside of these health policies is insurance organisations consider pregnancy as pre-existing condition and they pay the medical expenses only 12–18 months after the delivery of child. Even though this scheme is fine for those who opt for ‘planned’ pregnancy and have enough monetary back-up to be able to wait for the insurance company to pay out the costs, however, the policy is not perfect for those who seek health insurance after becoming pregnant.

Health Care Discount Schemes -

Apart from supplemental insurance, there are quite a few health insurance discount plans that have come into existence particularly to aid pregnant women pay for the treatment and care for their pregnancies. Although they are not conventional insurance policies but they do offer discounts on hospital services, doctor and delivery fees. More often than not, these plans come with additional benefits and can proved to be useful if someone have concerns about their well-being during the pregnancy period and receiving the required care to have a healthy child.

However, these options are not sufficient as they often fall short of actual needs.

Revolutionary change in health insurance policies

But the good, in fact the great news is pregnant women, at least in New York are only a few steps away from being entitled to purchase a ‘proper’ health insurance to meet their needs. The Affordable Care Act has finally made things easier for pregnant women to get the kind of insurance they have long been craving for.

New York is all set to become the first ever state in US to consider pregnancy as a ‘qualifying life event’ while buying medical insurance. This means uninsured expectant mothers can now enroll themselves in either employer-aided or private health insurance. Now all qualified health plans under the Affordable Care Act offer this coverage.

Know your rights -

If you are a pregnant woman residing in New York and looking for a insurance plan to cut down the expenses, here are a few things that you should be aware of.

• No insurance company can refuse your enrollment now just because you are pregnant. Unlike the past, pregnancy is not regarded as a pre-existing condition.
• Pregnant women no longer have to face denial by insurance companies when it comes to getting the desired coverage. And this remains true if you purchase the plan on your own or you are insured through your or your spouse’s employer.
• Insurance organizations cannot ask you to pay more to buy an insurance only because you are pregnant. These insurance establishments can’t increase the premium amount on the basis of your health condition.

Best places to obtain medical insurance during pregnancy

• The best place to get a health insurance is where you work . You need to check out whether your employer or the employer of your spouse offer medical insurance. You will probably from A health insurance plan from your employer will help you get the maximum coverage at the most affordable price chiefly because most employers contribute to the cost of premiums along with employees.
• You also have the option of shopping for health plans in Marketplace which is known as Exchange also. Depending on your income you may also be eligible for Medicaid in your state.
• Its always better to have multiple options especially when you are seeking the best medical insurance. These are many comparison websites available on the Internet that provide prospective policy buyers with an array of free quotes offered by a wide range of leading insurance companies. This will help you compare, analyze and choose the insurance plan that meets your needs perfectly.

You have to choose a plan that covers all the benefits you need. For an instance, if you opt for a plan that covers visits to hospital you will miss out on the coverage for visits to a doctor’s clinic.

These are the most effective ways of availing the best service as per your insurance needs at a convenient price.

Hopefully, all expectant mothers not only across the state of New York, but also across the world will enjoy the same privilege in days to come. It is a the time for jubilation and nobody wants to ruin this blessed moment worrying about the impending cost!