Finance Q&A
My goal is to provide you with the best care possible, should you have a question that's not covered, I'm here to discuss any questions you may have.
Do you participate with insurance companies?
Blue Ridge Birth is not a participating provider with any insurance. We are a self pay practice. Insurances companies do not like to cooperate with this model of care. They are created to work within the medical model of care which focuses on quantity of care and less on quality of care. We have found that setting limits on appointment time in order to bill for as many clients as possible goes contrary to the Midwifery Model of Care. In order for BRB to be able to offer a service built on quality of care which includes personal attention and a focus on the unique relationship between a midwife and her client, BRB offers in home, one hour prenatal visits, personal contact with a solo midwife, and limits our client load per month. We hope that by doing this, we will be able to offer the time to bond with our clients, educate, and support them in a way they deserve and to help them stay healthy and low risk. The studies show that no matter where you give birth, if a woman has had quality, midwifery care during pregnancy, she greatly increases her likelihood of a healthy, positive birthing experience. And we believe this is invaluable.
Do you participate with Health Sharing plans, such as Samaritan Ministries,Liberty, etc.
Yes! We can provide you with the necessary estimate of benefits for coverage.
What is your fee?
The fee is what is billed to insurance after the baby is born and then again at 6 weeks postpartum. Because insurance reimbursement from each insurance company is basically an unknown until after billing, we ask that you pay a deposit toward that amount. This includes a $500 “Commitment Fee” due at your initial visit. The balance of the deposit is due by 36 weeks regardless of whether you are insured or not. You may pay this in a lump sum or spread out over the course of your pregnancy. We believe every woman should have the right to choose this option and try to keep cost at a minimum. MedLoan is also available to help with financing your birth. www.medloanfinance.com See more info. below. Please feel free to call for more information regarding cost of care with BRB.
Are there any other out of pocket expenses?
Yes, there a minimal amount of other out of pocket expenses. This includes, out of pocket labs and ultrasounds if uninsured. (BRB has an agreement to provide labs at a low cost for uninsured clients.) Other cost include the purchase of a birth kit, optional birth tub rental, optional water birth kit, newborn metabolic screen, hearing screen, birth assistant fee, billing administrative fee for self filing or using SLB. Basic home supplies, childbirth education (cost varies), any supplements, hiring of a Doula, photographer, etc.
Do you take Medicaid?
I'm sorry, but we are not currently Medicaid providers.
Can I use my Flexible Spending Plan for payment?
Yes. You are welcome to use those funds for payment. Because HSA funds are typically distributed in the form of a credit card, there is a 3% convenience charge to use this service.
Do you have any resources to help me pay for this service?
Yes. We are happy to help set up a payment plan or can suggest applying for a medical based loan with Med Loan Finance, which allows you 18+ months to pay the loan, possibly interest free. Funds are issued in the form of a credit card. There is an additional 3% convenience charge for this option.
Can I provide my own birth assistant?
No. I'm sorry. You are welcome to hire your own doula, birth photographer or anyone else you would like to have at your birth, but all our birth assistants are hand picked to meet certain criteria of BRB.
What forms of payment do you take?
We accept cash, checks, credit cards (3% fee convenience fee).
Do you allow self billing?
If you have insurance, we strongly suggest you allow the billing company to bill for you. BRB does not give out codes. Should you choose to self bill, there is a $275 administrative fee due to the extra administrative work and additional interaction with your insurance company.
Do you have a billing service?
As a courtesy to our clients, we have contracted with a billing company to help you bill your insurance for possible reimbursement. When using a billing service you are "hiring" them to submit our Global Fee for possible reimbursement. It is important that you review your agreement with them and understand the service. The first step would be to do a verification of benefits (VOB). This will determine your exact coverage. The billing company used is www.SLB-billing.com. There is a $25.00 fee for this service. They will verify your benefits and notify you and BRB. SLB collects a commission fee based on your insurance reimbursement after all billing is complete. There is also a $275.00 administrative fee deducted from your reimbursement for time involved communicating with your insurance company.
If my insurance reimburses, how long will it be before I will receive a check?
That is entirely due to the speed at which your insurance company releases it. Please be aware there are no guarantees that your insurance company will cover any of this service. They dictate what and how much of the billed service they will cover, if any. We have NO control over this.
If my insurance does not cover home birth will I owe more than the global fee?
If your insurance does not cover the cost or if you have a very high unmet deductible, we have a forgiveness program that will limit your out of pocket expenses to our global fee and the few out of pocket expenses listed above.
Do you offer any discounts?
We cannot offer discounts based on whether you are insured or not. However we do offer some discounts where we are able. Please feel free to ask! If you research the cost of a hospital birth, you will see that this service is already severely discounted. Because BRB limits the amount of clients we serve, you are assured a flexible, in-home prenatal schedule, and very personalized, solo midwifery care.
Should you have any unanswered financial questions, please feel free to reach out.