How Health Insurance Helps in Covering Pre and Post-Natal Expenses?

What are Pre and Post-Natal Expenses?

Pre & post-natal expenses refer to medical costs incurred before and after birth during a pregnancy and childbirth journey. To be more specific, pre-natal expenses are the costs incurred during pregnancy or before the baby is born. It includes things like regular check-ups with the doctor, ultrasounds and other scans, medicines, or supplements prescribed by the doctor, etc.

On the other hand, post-natal expenses are the costs that arise after the baby is born. It generally includes hospital charges, follow-up visits to the doctor, any medical treatments or vaccinations needed for the newborn, etc.

How Health Insurance Covers Pre and Post-Natal Expenses?

Health insurance helps cover pre-natal and post-natal expenses through a benefit called "maternity cover". It is specifically designed to pay for maternity-related healthcare costs incurred on both normal and caesarean delivery. To reiterate it further, maternity insurance comes either as a standalone policy or as a rider plan with your main health insurance policy.

There is no second thought about taking maternity insurance, as it will be required at some point in your life. Furthermore, it might prove to be one of the most beneficial decisions which you will make in your life.

You can buy it for your wife and if you are a working woman, then you can buy maternity insurance for yourself. In fact, it is not about you only but for the protection of your child-to-be.

What Does Your Maternity Insurance Plan Cover?

The maternity insurance plan covers the following expenses:

1. Pre-delivery/Pre-natal Expenses- If you are insured under a good maternity policy, it will meet all your pre-natal expenses, including frequent medical scans, medical check-ups, and ultrasounds to ensure that the baby is doing fine till childbirth.
2. Labor and Delivery Expenses- An ideal maternity insurance policy will cover all the healthcare expenses including, the labor and delivery charges. It will help in saving frequent hospital bills by covering surgery cost, doctor's fee, etc.
3. Post-delivery/ Post-natal Expenses- A maternity plan will pay for post-delivery expenses related to baby vaccinations, medications needed for the baby and mother, etc.
4. Ambulance Charges: Some health insurance companies in India also cover ambulance charges under the maternity benefit. It includes the cost of transporting the pregnant woman to the hospital during an emergency.

Benefits of Maternity Health Insurance Policy

You will find the following benefits in some of the ideal maternity insurance policies:

• The expenses levied before 30 days from the delivery, childbirth or hospitalization are usually covered under maternity plan. Most importantly, medical expenses continuing till 2 months after hospitalization or childbirth are also taken care off.
• Couples do not need to worry about room charges, consultation fees, nursing expenses; and any other fees charged by the surgeon and medical practitioners. If you are lucky enough, you can get an ambulance cover also.
• Adding to the bucket are pre and post-natal expenses, which are covered along with specified complications arising after childbirth. In this way, both the mother and the child are offered protection.
• With maternity benefit, you do not need to fret about your newborn's medical expenses, as the infant is covered from day 1 to 3 months from birth.

What is Excluded from a Maternity Insurance Plan?

You can claim for a range of maternity expenses; however, there are a few exclusions that are listed below:

• A pre-existing illness that affects pregnancy
• Infertility treatment
• Cost of medicines other than those prescribed by the doctor
• Doctor's consultation fees
• Congenital diseases

Maternity Cover in Health Insurance Plans

Before investing in a maternity plan, it is important to understand the coverage limits to avoid any unexpected surprises while making a health insurance claim. Do not forget that all the maternity insurance plans in India have a mandatory waiting period clause, and before that you cannot claim for maternity expenses. These waiting periods can range from 3 months to 4 years, depending upon the insurer and the plan.

Moreover, if you have already conceived, you cannot get insurance. Probably, you can take insurance for your next pregnancy, but only if you are planning a second child. Ideally, you need to buy a maternity insurance plan before conception.

Considering all the possible scenarios, it is recommended that you purchase maternity insurance at least 3 years before family planning. Amid all the other planning and investments, if you shed some light on this aspect, meeting the pregnancy and childbirth expenses will be a hassle-free experience for you.

Conclusion

The major reason behind getting maternity coverage in a health insurance plan is to make the entire process of childbirth smooth and relaxing. In fact, with maternity insurance, you do not have to face any financial stress during hospitalization due to pregnancy. So, think ahead and buy the right health cover that secures your future and your newborn's future as well.