Maternal health care should be of primary concern to anyone looking to have a child. It is meant to monitor the health of the mother and the baby to ensure they are safe. It helps medical personnel track and flag any issues that may put the mother or baby at risk. The expenses incurred during the pregnancy process can cost you a pretty penny. Maternal covers come under normal health insurance covers. There is a set minimum benefit and a ceiling amount. It is important to know those amounts are and what costs they cover. Numerous women have fallen victim to incurring expenses they thought were covered. The Tugen Girl narrated such an experience on Twitter. Additionally, here are some things you should know about a maternity cover.
What Prenatal and Postnatal Charges Are Covered?
Prenatal costs are covered in the maternal cover. However, it always helps to know what exclusions and limits your insurer has set for prenatal visits. Some insurers may have a limit on the number of clinic visits you can have during your pregnancy period. Others may have exclusions for some medicines or vitamins that your doctor may prescribe during your pregnancy. Any amount you spend above or outside your limits is a personal expense. If strapped for cash, it is advised that you search for affordable pre-natal services so your cover is not exhausted too early during the pregnancy. Additionally, always be very clear what rules apply where so you may be able to track your deductions. When it comes to postnatal services, very few insurance companies in the country provide cover for postnatal services.
Purchasing Health Insurance
As I said before, most health insurance plans include a maternal cover. It is recommended that one purchase health insurance prior to getting pregnant. This is because most insurance companies provide maternity cover if you give birth within 10-12 months of acquiring the cover. However, the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) allows you to register for health insurance that includes a maternal cover as long as you have 3 months before your delivery.
If you have less than 3 months to give birth, it is still recommended that you purchase some other type of health insurance cover. This is because giving birth in itself can be very unpredictable and sometimes very costly. It is always better to have your costs sorted out if you can, prior to the delivery date.
Does the maternal cover include your baby?
Some maternal covers include a clause for congenital illnesses. This means that if the baby is born with a condition or birth defect, your insurance cover comes in and caters to those costs. The baby is registered as your dependent for one year and any procedures are covered by the health insurance. Once the year is over and your child still needs treatment, most insurance companies increase the premiums paid as opposed to cancelling the premium altogether. If your baby is healthy, then you need to understand what your health cover stipulates. Some health covers view the baby as a dependant and thus is covered under you. Some view the baby as a separate being and requires separate health insurance coverage.
It is important to discuss these issues with your insurer to understand the inclusions and exclusions of your cover and whether it extends to your newborn so that you can make proper arrangements.
Different covers for natural and CS delivery
Maternal covers have different ceilings for the highest amount set for natural and CS delivery. This is because CS delivery includes services such as using the theatre. There is a lot of post-operative care given to a mother who has gone through CS delivery. There is are also different costs incurred for a scheduled CS and an emergency CS. Some mothers opt to have normal deliveries but due to complications while going through childbirth, an emergency CS is conducted. Eventually, the bill ends up being slightly higher than it would have been had the CS been scheduled. Think through your options to ensure that you do not end up in debt in the long run.
