|
|
|
|
|
|
Choosing a Health Care Provider and Birth Setting
Things to do before choosing a health care provider and birth setting:1) Call your insurance company to learn which options are covered by your health plan. Ask about your co-payments and deductibles and what fees and services are covered by your insurance.2) Interview health care providers and visit birth settings that are available in your community before choosing what is best for you and your partner. Be sure to ask about fees for services so that you can estimate your out-of-pocket costs (costs you will pay). 3) If you decide to have care that is not covered by insurance, you will have to pay for the costs yourself. Ask if you can pay on a sliding fee scale (a payment based on your income) or make special payment arrangements. You may also be eligible for Medicaid or other special programs for pregnant women. (Contact the Department of Social Services in your state to see if you're eligible.) Whatever you decide, just be sure to research your options before you contact a care provider to ask questions. As you start your research to choose a health care provider, it is important to consider their personal qualities, philosophy of care, and professional qualifications. Remember, health care providers may be licensed to do different things, like prescribe medication, perform surgery, or work in a hospital. That's why it's important to learn as much as you can about the health care provider's training, beliefs, and where they attend births, before selecting one. For more detailed information on choosing a health care provider and birth setting, go to our Pregnancy Topics for Choosing a Place of Birth and Choosing a Caregiver. Click here for a contact list of local health care providers in your area for these birth options. Most recent page update: 9/9/2010
© 2013 Childbirth Connection. All rights reserved.
Childbirth Connection is a national not-for-profit organization founded in 1918 as Maternity Center Association. Our mission is to improve the quality and value of maternity care through consumer engagement and health system transformation. Childbirth Connection promotes safe, effective and satisfying evidence-based maternity care and is a voice for the needs and interests of childbearing families. |
News and Features
Listening to MothersSM III is the third national
survey exploring women’s experiences in pregnancy and childbirth.
Commissioned by Childbirth Connection, conducted by Harris Interactive, and
funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the survey polled 2,400 women who gave
birth in U.S. hospitals from 2011 to 2012. Results show that medically
intensive experiences are typical, and evidence-based practices are
underutilized. Childbearing women need better support and knowledge to
navigate their maternity care.
Access the full report and supplementary materials  New Report: Maternity Care and Liability Go to report and supporting materials New Report: The Cost of Having a Baby in the United States Go to report and supporting materials New Cesarean Resources: Go to Best Evidence Report Go to web pages and booklet for women 
For 95 years, Childbirth Connection has been dedicated to improving the
quality and value of maternity care for all women and their families. Learn
more about our rich history through our interactive
timeline and give
$95 for 95 in honor of
our 95th birthday. 
Childbirth Connection works to ensure that all women and babies get the best
possible maternity care. We have the collective vision and we know how to get
there, but we can't do it alone. Join the transformation
today.
The Transforming
Maternity Care website focuses on maternity care
system improvements designed to engage diverse stakeholders in quality
improvement efforts. The site offers full access to the landmark reports 2020 Vision and
Blueprint for
Action, features a Blog, and other
resources such as an Action Center, a
database of
quality improvement projects, an interactive data
center, and many more tools
for advocates and stakeholders.
Help Transform Maternity Care! |
