Double Digits

99 Days to go.... Only double digits now! I remember looking at the ticker when there were 105 days left thinking that it would soon be double digits time, but it feels like that was only yesterday-literally!

99 Days and we have no idea where we're having this child.

We found out last week that hubby's insurance (which we switched to this month since I no longer am employed) will not pay for the birthing center fee. $2000. $2000 we don't have. We anticipated paying about $840 since his insurance book stated that they cover 80% and we're responsible for 20% (and the fee for the midwives and center comes to $4200 altogether). Which is also what they inadvertently quoted me when I asked for an estimate of my costs (the midwives want payment up front so we're supposed to get an estimate before the baby is born). When I pushed for further clarification of "80% of the allowed amount" I was told, in red type, that they do not cover freestanding birthing centers. Then the midwives' office spent 40 minutes on the phone with them only to find that, yes, they will not pay. Which is absurd. They were also told that the midwives' fees would be paid 100% (which is NOT in the literature I received, so I rather doubt that).

Now what?

Most likely, a hospital birth will be cheaper. But I don't want another hospital birth. I switched to this practice in December because I was thrilled to have another shot at a waterbirth, and a chance to have an unmedicalized labor and birth.

There is another birthing center in Connecticut that is part of a hospital, kind of. They bill under the hospital so if I switched to them, it's very likely their fees would be covered. AND the hospital-attached-birthing center is actually half as far away as the childbirth center I planned on using, so logically, I should be considering it. But I also don't want to switch practices again. I just switched 2 months ago, and I like the group I'm with, even if they aren't local.

We have no idea what we're doing at this point. All I know is something that I'm supposed to be eagerly awaiting has become something I'm dreading. How awful is it that insurance companies have so much say in the level of care we receive, especially in a case where they're actually refusing to pay the smaller fee. Absurd!