Health Insurance Question

[icelazer]

Hey guys, my newly-wedded wife and I are expecting our first child and are really excited. I have a question about the insurance and such. Her doctor of choice apparently has this payment plan where you pre-pay for all of the doctor care that you will receive in payments by the 6th month or so. My question is, is this common? We will be changing plans and doctors and a totally new year of benefits next year, so I don't understand this practice. Apparently all of the doctor visits are rolled into this single large charge, including the visits she's having this year and are not billed individually. This seems to me to be a paperwork nightmare and might even violate insurance policies?

 

[olds]

Never heard of that with insurance.

 

[icelazer]

This office also only sees patients that have insurance.

 

[FoBoT]

that is how i had to pay OB/GYN when i had no insurance for our 2nd daughter
luckily after 6 months i got a job with full/good insurance and my new insurance company then paid the full bill to the doctor and the doctor refunded me all the money i had paid to them
good luck

 

[rudder]

It must depend on the state. We paid the ob/gyn a one time fee during my wife's pregnancy and that was it.

 

[bctbct]

Never heard of that, check with your insurance, it may viloate the contract they have with the doctor.


edit, assuming this is a PPO

 

[grohl]

Many policies do not include maternity care. The options are usually to pay the entire UCF or most practices offer a single cash price. Pregnancy is seen as a global fee; a single fee takes care of all the routine pregnancy visits, delivery, and postpartum care. You are paying the professional fee only, with sono and lab billed separately. This is completely legal ONLY IF you do not have maternity coverage with your insurance policy. Many offices realize this and will come up with a payment plan. Other things to consider is 1) hospital cost and 2) anesthesia (epidural) cost. Remember, pre-paying in cash to all ends up with cheaper costs overall. PM me if you have any more ?s.

 

[icelazer]

Our policy covers maternity care just like any other office visit at 90% each, this is why I don't really get exactly how it's billed since they don't bill visit by visit. I will contact the insurance company tomorrow, it doesn't quite sound totally legitimate to me and they already have $200 of our money that hasn't been reported to insurance