Most women's initial excitement that follows the knowledge that they are now pregnant is soon shattered by the realization of the medical financial burden about to confront them. It has been found that maternity insurance coverage for women who fall pregnant is about 87%; other 13% isn't covered.

The women are faced with having to look to their own resources to meet the costs and may have insufficient funds to get appropriate pre-natal care.  If the pregnancy brings about complications the burden will be increased.

Maternity health care is not necessarily covered even where a health insurance plan is paid for. An expensive add-on may need to be included. Some insurers avoid providing maternity plans or treat it as a condition pre-existing. Federal law does not permit this, but there are loopholes.

You may have COBRA (coverage extending from your previous employer). You need to check if maternity health is covered. The cost may be high, but it is certainly worth it.

There are several group plans that provide maternity health coverage to their members. Some may have from 3 months to one year waiting period before access to the benefit is possible. What happens then if one falls pregnant during this gap?

Like Medi-cal in California made states do have programs pregnant women. Other programs, federally sponsored, like Medicaid are mainly for the benefit of low income groups.

The Maternity Card is another option now available. This program designed to provide assistance to pregnant women and is doing quite well. The program covers many aspects maternity medical needs and costs less than standard insurance packages. Generally, maternity coverage is available immediately.

There are other plans though they have exclusion periods, some as long as 30 days. Scrutinize each package offered to ensure that you know all options and restriction before choosing one.

The best advice for women is that they should ensure that they get maternity health insurance at the earliest opportunity, for the whole of their child-bearing years.

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