When I learned I was expecting my first child, I was eager to learn more about a more natural approach to labor and delivery. Although there were numerous alternatives for local doulas, there were only two options for birthing places: at home or in a hospital. I have a tendency to tilt to the right “granola,” but not quite far enough to contemplate a birth at home. That was back in the day.
After more than six years of discussions, planning, fundraising, and paperwork, Atlanta now has a new birthing center: the Atlanta Birth Center! I recently went on a tour of the institution, which is near Emory Midtown, to learn more about it. It made me wish I could go back in time to when I was pregnant, about two years ago!
A. The Atlanta Birth Center offers comprehensive midwifery care as well as holistic care. It is based on the birth care paradigm, which emphasizes prenatal care, as well as mind, body, spirit, well-being, postpartum, and much more! It’s part of a larger health-care system that includes prenatal and comprehensive women’s care, as well as lab and diagnostic testing.
Q. What distinguishes the labor and delivery experience from that of a traditional hospital stay?
First, there’s the environment. There are four birthing rooms, each based on one of three elements: wind, fire, or water.
A. Most major health insurance plans, including Medicaid, are expected to be accepted by Atlanta Birth Center. Contracting with insurance providers, on the other hand, might take up to a year, and they are working on it on a daily basis! They also provide value-based self-pay pricing with a variety of payment options.
Q. What should I do if I want to receive prenatal care and give birth at the Atlanta Birth Center?
A. There are two birthing centers in Atlanta “Once a month, there will be a “Meet with the Midwives” event. This is a chance to take a tour of the facilities and speak with the midwives. Dates can be found on their Facebook page. The next one will take place on August 23.
The Center believes that the midwifery approach of care may benefit all women. An out-of-hospital birth may be the best option for some women. Women will be asked about their individual circumstances, health needs, and personal preferences by the Atlanta Birth Center. They will assist them in determining the optimum birthing setting. They follow the CABC’s eligibility standards, as well as Georgia’s norms and regulations and their own carefully established clinical protocols.
I’m glad that women in the Atlanta area now have another option for prenatal and postnatal care. In the coming months, I’m excited to tell you more about Atlanta Birth Center, including the additional services they provide.
Is it cheaper to have a baby at a birthing center?
Think about hiring a birthing facility and a midwife. If you’re in good health, have a low risk of complications, and desire a natural birth, delivering at a birthing center rather than a hospital can save you a lot of money. The average vaginal birth with no difficulties at a birthing center costs around half of what the same sort of delivery would cost in a hospital. You’ll save even more money if you employ a midwife instead of a doctor, and you’ll have a better chance of having a natural birth…
Is homebirth covered by insurance?
The risk of an emergency situation is the most significant disadvantage of a home delivery. In that situation, you or your baby would need to be brought to the hospital in an ambulance. The amount of time it takes you or the baby to get to the hospital could be critical.
A home birth has its own set of benefits. It’s possible that being in a familiar environment during childbirth will make you feel more at ease. You can also invite whomever you want to join you in the room.
The cheapest option is to give birth at home. However, it’s possible that it won’t be covered by insurance. If you are pregnant with a high-risk pregnancy, a home birth is not recommended.
Do birthing centers give epidurals?
If you believe a hospital is the best option for you, you should inquire about when medical interventions such as induction or C-section are considered necessary.
What are your pain management preferences?
Managing pain during labor and delivery is a crucial aspect of the birthing process. A birth center may be a viable option if you’re comfortable with little or no pain medication.
However, if you’re thinking about getting an epidural, a separate birth center might not be the ideal option. Epidurals are not available in most birthing centers. So you might not be able to change your mind. If an epidural is an option, you may need to be moved to a hospital.
Think about the experience you want
A birth center can be an option if you want to feel like you’re laboring and delivering in the comfort of your own home and you meet low-risk guidelines.
A hospital-based birth center is the way to go if you want pain management flexibility or the peace of mind that comes with knowing you have access to hospital services.
Both options can check the boxes if you wish to avoid pain drugs and be untethered from a monitor so you can move around more freely.
Does UHC cover homebirth?
Giving birth to a child at home is unquestionably peaceful and comforting. However, it is possible that it will be costly for the parents. Why? Some health insurance companies refuse to pay for in-home deliveries.
According to statistics, a typical hospital birth without difficulties costs between $5,000 and $10,000. A similar home delivery might cost anything from $1,500 to $5,000. According to a research published in the Journal of Nurse Midwifery, the cost of a normal at-home birth with no problems is lower, in part because at-home deliveries have fewer C-sections.
At-home birth coverage varies greatly from state to state and from insurer to insurer. In 2009, midwives supervised more than 60% of at-home births, while just 5% were attended by doctors. Physician-assisted births are much more expensive than midwife-assisted births.
Some health insurance companies cover midwife-assisted births at home or in a hospital or clinic, while others consider at-home births “medically inappropriate.” The coverage provided by those insurers that do cover at-home births isn’t uniform. Consider the following example:
- Midwifery services are covered by WellPoint, but coverage varies by area and insurance plan.
- Aetna hires midwives to assist with births in hospitals or birthing centers.
- Both hospital and at-home deliveries attended by licensed midwives are covered by UnitedHealthcare. In both instances, the benefits are essentially the same.
In most states, health insurance does not cover at-home births in the same way that it does for births in hospitals and clinics, if at all. Only a few states, including New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, and Vermont, compel insurers to cover at-home births.
According to Rhonda Lipschutz, a spokeswoman for Health Advocate Inc., a business that helps individuals navigate the health-care system, some insurers will only pay midwifery services if the midwife is licensed under state law and works at a hospital or designated birthing facility. State regulators do not, however, certify all midwives. Health insurance coverage for births supervised by unlicensed midwives, often known as lay midwives, may be limited or non-existent.
If an at-home delivery is covered, the level of coverage is determined by who supplies the necessary equipment. The equipment, such as a fetal monitor, is usually provided by the midwife and is included in her costs. Smaller goods, like as a rubber sheet for the birthing bed or a specific birthing tub, are frequently not covered for an at-home birth.
A home birth’s coverage is also contingent on reimbursements for midwives with malpractice insurance.
In some states, such as Vermont, practicing doctors and midwives must have malpractice insurance in order to be reimbursed by health insurance programs. If you’re thinking about having a baby at home, check with your midwife or health care provider to be sure everything is in order. Because malpractice insurance is costly, some midwives must link with medical practices in order to be covered by their policies.
Federal health care reform will extend maternity coverage available through Medicaid over the next few years, and part of that coverage includes free-standing birth centers; however, it’s uncertain if at-home deliveries would be included. In 2011, the federal government mandated that midwives be compensated at the same rate as physicians under Medicaid. State Medicaid programs, on the other hand, have varied reimbursement standards.
Is it illegal to have baby at home?
Although some states have legislation governing home births and home birth midwives, there are no laws outright prohibiting unassisted birth in the United States.
It’s possible that different states will have different requirements. Some states, for example, demand that the newborn be taken to a doctor or midwife for a birth certificate shortly after birth.
When you consider that some unassisted child deliveries may have been an accident or emergency, or reported as such whether consciously planned or not, the legality of it is a little confusing, too.
In any case, it’s a good idea to check your state’s guidelines for giving birth outside of a hospital or at home.
What states are home births illegal?
Alabama, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky (no permits issued since 1975), Nebraska, North Carolina, and South Dakota are the only states that do not license yet make home birth midwifery illegal. Michigan has only recently been licensed, and rules and regulations have yet to be drafted.