Since many carriers are either dropping maternity from their plans, or raising the premiums sky high for maternity coverage options, what happens to a woman on a non-maternity plan if she becomes pregnant?
Depending on which insurance carrier you are with, the answer varies.
Anthem Blue Cross individual plans will allow you to switch to their PPO Share 5000 plan without having to go through medical underwriting.
On some Blue Shield plans (not all of them) you can switch to their 5000 PPO plan as well, as long as you have been on your current plan for at least 12 months
If your insurance carrier does not offer maternity benefits, you can apply with a state program (such as AIM in California), though you do have to meet certain criteria to be considered eligible
Please make sure to speak with your agent about your needs, as they will be better able to answer any questions about maternity coverage.
By talking about the options that may or may not be available to you, you’ll have the coverage in place when you really need it.
