Health insurance companies are not required to offer maternity benefits to those looking for individual health insurance.  This is leaving thousands of women with few options as they look to cover having a baby which can cost an average of $13,000 per child.

According to the article “Maternity Insurance is Scarce and Expensive for Many Californians” by Duke Helfand on LATimes.com, tens of thousands of Californians find themselves in tough situations when they discover they cannot afford maternity health insurance coverage.  Many women are covered through their employers, but those who are self-employed or work for a company with no benefits need to purchase their own policies and often times it’s simply unaffordable.

The limited choices tend to to force many expecting mothers into government insurance programs paid for by other taxpayers, or makes them feel like they have to skip pre-natal care altogether.  All of this can drive up costs for hospitals, health insurance companies and consumers.  Plans that offer maternity services can be as much as 20% more expensive which is shocking and discouraging.  Insurers need to figure out a way to make these very important policies more affordable for families.

Similar Posts:

Share