Maternity Insurance|Maternity Care|Postpartum Care

Today is an important day for many of the conceptual systems in which you and I participate. What's a conceptual system?

A conceptual system is a set of things that works together to perform a common goal but does not exist in a tangible manner. For instance, an automobile is a system in which you can see, touch, and feel. Another tangible system is the human body that is the most complex and amazing system in the world.

In contrast to the systems that you can point out and clearly describe, conceptual systems are not tangible yet exist all around us. Think about the world economy or the financial system of the United States as a set of things working together to provide a means of exchange between humans and countries. How about our insurance system? The insurance system consists of a set of agents, agencies, policies, claims, etc that work together to provide insurance coverage to humans. This is without a doubt a system. However, it is impossible for you to show me an insurance system in the same way that you can show me your car.

One of the most important conceptual systems is the family system. The family system is a set of things (mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, physical stuff, actions, decisions, accomplishments, challenges) that work together to produce our unique family experience. As with any system, every part of a system plays a vital role in the overall optimization (or lack thereof) and performance of the system.

Today we celebrate one of the most important roles in the family system and in society at large: Mothers. Mothers are not only part of the gateway to the breeding of new life but play an instrumental role in the development of our young people. Mothers provide the type of caring, love and intangibles that enable the family system to thrive.

Even more impressive is the fact that a Mother's job is not easy; I would argue that it is the most difficult job on this earth. It's more difficult than being a CEO, an entrepreneur, or business owner. Mothers are ON twenty-four hours per day...seven days per week.

For all of this and more, today is a day to celebrate your Mother and all of the Moms of our society. In large part to them, the family system works. Happy Mother's Day to every Mom around the globe! May you be forever Blessed.

If you have decided to invest in private medical insurance, you will probably already know what you want to be covered for. Whether you are looking to avoid the NHS waiting lists, get access to drugs not covered by your local NHS trust or be treated in a luxury private room, there is a private medical insurance policy that will suit your needs and budget.

What many customers are not aware of are the added 'extras' which you can benefit from when taking out private medical insurance. These can range from sensible add-ons like dental and optical cover to little luxuries like 2 for 1 cinema tickets. Here, we list out top 10 private medical insurance benefits to look out for when you compare health insurance quotes online.

10) Parent accommodation

Parent accommodation will cover the cost of an overnight stay in hospital whilst your child is being treated. If the hospital is situated a distance from your home this will save you booking a hotel, and it will also give you peace of mind that you are close to your child.

9) Dental and Optical cover

Whilst private medical insurance is not really designed to cover dental and optical treatment (there are cash plans for this exact reason), some policies do offer dental and optical cover as an added extra. This is usually capped at a particular amount per year- for example, a 瞿300 limit per year for routine dental treatment and a 瞿200 limit per year for optical treatment. Although it may not be your main priority, having dental and optical cover thrown in could be the deciding factor when you compare health insurance quotes.

8) Maternity Cash Benefit

Maternity cash benefit is a cash benefit payable on the birth of a child, and is not the same thing as having maternity cover. A maternity cash benefit will usually offer 瞿100 per baby born or adopted by a member subject to a qualifying period, which can be handy if you are planning to start a family.

Pregnancy and maternity cover is a bit different. Since pregnancy is not considered a medical condition, it will not be covered for by private medical insurance. However, some insurers offer cover for certain complications of pregnancy and birth after a certain qualifying period.

7) NHS cash benefit

An NHS cash benefit is offered by many private medical insurance policies. With this benefit, you will be paid a cash sum when you stay as an inpatient or a day patient in an NHS hospital, up to a certain limit. For example, you may be offered 瞿250 per night spent as an inpatient in an NHS hospital up to a maximum of 瞿2,000 per year, or 瞿125 for day patient treatment in the NHS up to a maximum of 瞿500 per year.

6) Complementary therapies

Cover for a complementary therapy and alternative therapy is always offered on a comprehensive private medical insurance policy, but it can also be available on a standard policy with certain limits. Cover varies widely from insurer to insurer, so it is worth using a health insurance comparison website to narrow down your quotes. It can include cover for chiropractors, osteopathy, chiropody, podiatry, acupuncture, homeopathy, dietary services, physiotherapy and speech and language therapy. There may be a monetary or time limit on these treatments.

5) Discounted gym membership

If you are looking for private medical insurance, it is a safe bet that you are keen to look after your health. Exercise is a great way to take care of yourself, but gym memberships can be pricy. Luckily, some health insurers offer discounted gym membership as an added bonus for taking out a private medical insurance policy. Look out for these deals when you compare health insurance policies online.

4) Stop-smoking sessions

Along with discount gym memberships, some health insurers will save you money on 'stop smoking' sessions to help you quit cigarettes. You may be rewarded with lower premiums by attending these stop smoking sessions.

3) Discounted health screenings

Many of the big private medical insurance companies offer discounted health screens. Health screenings may include tests for BMI, blood pressure, cholesterol, urinalysis, resting ECG, bloods, rectal examination, cervical smear, a health and lifestyle consultation and a written report. These health screenings are useful for spotting potential issues before they become problems, and give you peace of mind about your health.

2) Rewards for healthy eating

Eating well is an important part of staying healthy. Numerous studies have indicated that eating 5 portions of fruit a day will reduce your risk of cancer and other serious illnesses. Some insurers offer reward schemes for private medical insurance customers who buy healthy food from selected supermarkets. Rewards could mean a reduction in your health insurance premiums or collecting special points. Check with a private medical insurance broker for more information on which insurers offer this.

1) Deals on cinema tickets, travel and even theme parks

When looking for a private medical insurance, 'fluffy extras' like 2 for 1 cinema tickets, discounted travel and money off theme parks should not influence your choice in policy. Whilst we are not recommending that you base your decision on these little luxuries, it is worth taking advantage of them if they are offered on your policy of choice. After all, living a fun-filled stress free life is key to a healthy future.

If you or your spouse just lost a job and therefore your medical insurance coverage, you need to look into a family health insurance plan. If you are currently pregnant, a new health insurance plan will not cover you or your pregnancy because this was a pre-existing condition.

You should check into continuing your current medical insurance coverage under COBRA if you are pregnant. You will have to pay a monthly premium that will likely be quite a bit higher than your group insurance coverage was with your job, but at least you will still have coverage. If you or your spouse is leaving one job to go to another that does have group health insurance maternity coverage, you may have a waiting period before the new plan will cover the existing pregnancy. If you are pregnant currently it is best not to change jobs if at all possible until after your baby is born.

Hopefully, you are not yet pregnant and can plan to have other health insurance maternity coverage when you do get pregnant. If this is the case, you can do an online search for medical insurance providers for your location. Be sure to add on maternity as special coverage. This will raise the premium, but if you plan to get pregnant it will be worth it. If you forget to add maternity coverage on your family plan and you become pregnant, you will not be able to add it on at that time. Remember, pregnancy is a pre-existing condition on a medical insurance plan. You will need to plan ahead for health insurance maternity coverage. Most plans will have a waiting period of 6 months to one year before maternity benefits will pay. Make sure you understand every detail of your policy so that you don't end up disappointed later on. The cost of a pregnancy is high even with no problems, but if you encounter problems during your pregnancy, the costs will sky rocket.

How can you get pregnant without sex? As strange as this question may seem on the surface, there are more and more techniques every day that promise to help you and your partner get pregnant without sex. There are many treatments used for infertility experienced by couples. If you have been diagnosed as infertile, or if you have tried unsuccessfully to conceive for at least a year and a half, then it might be appropriate for you and your partner to visit a fertility clinic for a consultation.

Before you begin the process of getting pregnant without sex, you should be aware of the high cost associated with many of these medical procedures. Even if you have medical insurance, there is the possibility that these procedures are not covered. Many fertility treatments are not considered "medically necessary" by the insurance companies, so they will not cover the cost of your treatment. It is possible that your employer has a program for the cost of these procedures, or that there is funding from another source. Maybe you already have saved enough to begin infertility treatments; if you have, that was pretty smart! Some procedures can cost upwards of $30,000 per visit to the doctor! Wow! And you thought your normal doctors' bills were expensive!

If you and your partner decide to pursue infertility treatments, there are many options to decide from. Most likely, your doctor will suggest a plan based on your desires, medical problems, and budget.

Treatments can start out with fairly simple methods such as prescription fertility drugs. These drugs will not make it possible for you to get pregnant without sex, but they will make it much easier for you to conceive when you do have sex. Drugs have effects such as causing your ovaries to release more than one egg at a time so that you increase your chances of getting pregnant each month. This type of treatment can be very effective for couples who are not completely infertile, but who are having trouble getting pregnant naturally.

More invasive treatments such as artificial insemination are available to help you get pregnant without having sex. During artificial insemination, a doctor strategically places semen into the uterus of the women who would like to become pregnant. The semen used my come from her partner or a male donor. This option can be used not only for infertile couples, but also for single women or lesbian couples that would like to have children.

After artificial insemination, there are even more serious measures that can be done to help you to get pregnant without sex. An egg and sperm can be combined in a laboratory and then the fetus can be implanted into the uterus, if necessary.

There are many options for women who need to get pregnant without sex; see your doctor to figure out which one is best for you!

If you are already carrying a child and want to purchase medical insurance, you might find that it won't be easy to find. Insurance companies know that they are will spend more than you pay in premiums if they insure you and are unlikely to offer you health insurance.

Your options are likely to be limited, but there might be some ways that you can lower your costs. In some situations, health care insurance companies are mandated to insure you.

You might qualify for group medical insurance. You may qualify for a government-sponsored policy through your city, county, your state or the federal government. You might be able to get the cost of your medical care lowered through negotiation.

You will probably be denied for an individual health insurance policy, if you applied while pregnant. However, if you already have a health care insurance policy, you will not be dropped from the health insurance policy because you are "with child" unless you applied too recently.

Many health individual policies will eliminate coverage for pregnancy. If you have one of these health insurance contracts and are "with child" keeping might still be worthwhile.

Why? Because most of these contracts will cover the complications of pregnancy. The complications of pregnancy could considered a sickness. Normal pregnancy is not.

You may want to look at other choices if your current contract doesn't cover normal pregnancy expenses. If you do, make sure that you keep your current policy until you have another policy in place. This can save you a lot of money.

Employer-sponsored medical insurance, if available to you, will probably be your best option. These types of policies usually have good benefits and will often have good doctors and hospitals.

Group medical insurance might be available to you through your employer. If your child is due is after the company's next open enrollment period, you could be able to get the bulk of your pregnancy costs covered by that policy. Getting group health care insurance is often the best alternative.

If your spouse or domestic partner qualifies for group health insurance, you could be able to get insurance through his or her contract. You will probably need to wait until the next open enrollment period to request insurance through the policy.

Open enrollment periods usually happen once per year, but there are special open enrollment periods also. You can typically be placed on your spouse's insurance if you apply right after you get married. A child can usually qualify to get on a parent's plan if he or she applies before he or she is 30 days old.

Group insurance is often available to the self-employed. In many areas, an individual can qualify for group insurance. You could be able to get health insurance this way as the primary insured or as a dependent.

There may be plans offered through your state, city or county. You might qualify for Medicaid. These government-sponsored plans should be investigated if coverage through private health care insurance isn't available to you.

You might want to ask your OB/GYN or your local planned parenthood to see what options are available in your area. Choices available in different parts of the country, towns and counties vary widely. If you are able to find coverage, you are likely to save a lot. Be sure to do your homework..

You may be able to lower your pregnancy expenses by prepaying your bill at the hospital. Soon-to-be-mothers often find that the hospital will give them a deep discount if they are able enter into a prepayment plan.

Shopping around for a less costly doctor can also be a good idea. Hospitals even those that are a short drive form each other can charge very differently. It pays to comparison shop.

Pregnancy shouldn't be a time where money is paramount in your mind. However, making an effort to reduce your expenses can make being a mother better because you can spend more time focusing on your baby.

Whether you are an employer seeking short-term disability coverage for your employees or an employee independently trying to find a policy for yourself, you will need to know where to look for these policies and the short term disability insurance cost. Not every insurance company offers this sort of coverage. Since these policies are not regulated equally in every state, finding short-term coverage is not as easy as finding a policy for your car or your general health.

The list below contains the names of some of the most highly rated carriers of short-term disability insurance. The list is not exclusive and it should not discourage you from looking further for other companies. These companies, however, are financially strong, offer numerous options in their insurance products and already have established reputations as excellent and reliable carriers.

Companies That Provide Short-Term Policies for Disability

American International Group (AIG)

AIG operates in 130 countries and jurisdictions around the world. This sort of size is reassuring when you are paying for a policy because you know that they can and will pay on properly filed claims. If you live and work in the United States, then choosing this company will put you in the hands of the country's largest underwriter of both commercial and industrial insurance. Besides offering disability coverage in the short-term, AIG also provides long-term coverage for serious disability.

Boston Mutual

Boston Mutual is a long-lived company that has been around since 1891. When you take out a policy with a business that has been around so long, you can count on their reliability. Some of the most respected reviewers of insurance companies believe in their trustworthiness. Standard & Poor's, Moody's and Fitch have all rated Boston Mutual as one of the best in the insurance business in general. They offer short-term accident and sickness policies that you can add independently to your insurance coverage.

The Hartford

The Hartford is another top-rated company that has received accolades from Standard & Poor's and Moody's. They offer a wide range of insurance products that you can integrate with a short-term policy. These other products include long term disability (LTD) and workers' compensation. You can also just select your short-term coverage through them.

Mutual of Omaha

Mutual of Omaha has over 100 years of experience in providing insurance to a variety of customers. They have consistently earned strong ratings from Moody's and Fitch. This company offers policies that employers can manage for their employees and they also offer voluntary policies that employees can seek on their own.

Unum

A Fortune 500 company, Unum provides products and services that cover a variety of insurance situations, among them short-term needs for income during disabilities that do not qualify for long-term coverage.

The Cost of Short-Term Coverage for Disability

The cost of this coverage will vary from company to company. You should take advantage of the Internet and make a quick comparison of prices. Remember to examine all the features of such coverage. There are many different issues to consider when you pay for this sort of coverage. Monthly premiums are only one aspect of insurance that you should contemplate. You should also investigate how much each policy will pay, for how long and whether premiums will be taxed or payments will suffer taxation later.

The cost of these policies will also be affected by how well you handle the bureaucratic red tape. This is another issue which you should examine before you buy the policy. When injuries and illness have occurred, in your own life or that of your employee, you would probably prefer to think about the paperwork as little as possible. By reviewing the effectiveness of a policy before you buy it, you can save yourself a lot of trouble later on when an accident or an infection are the foremost problems in your mind.

Your health and ability to work may be your most important asset. Most people buy their house and their car using financing: mortgages and/or car loans and leases. They plan to pay for these necessities over time - from future income. You insure your house, your life, and your car, wouldn't it make sense to insure the asset that makes it all happen - your paycheck?

Short-term disability provides important income protection should you have an accident, or develop an illness and were unable to work. Statistics show that you are much more likely to be injured in an accident than to die from one. Advances in medicine are allowing us to live longer. However, recovery from a serious illness often requires time away from work. Short-term disability can replace up to 70% of your income should you become disabled. Benefits can begin as quickly as within seven days for an illness, and with no waiting period for an accident. Benefits can last as long as two years.

Create Maternity Leave Income

Workingwomen who are planning a pregnancy have an extra incentive to buy this valuable coverage: they are planning to use the benefit, and will likely generate maternity leave income that far surpasses the premium cost. Short-term disability pays a six-week benefit for a vaginal delivery, and an eight-week benefit for a c-section delivery, less the elimination period. Benefits may be extended if delivery complications require an extended time away from work.

Apply preconception to lock in your short-term disability benefit for maternity leave, with at least a three-month buffer in case of premature birth. Most short-term disability policies contain an exclusion for normal delivery within the first nine months of the policy effective date. By applying several months before conception, your delivery will likely fall outside the exclusion period, even if your pregnancy does not go full term.

Coverage for High Risk Pregnancies

Each year almost 25% of expectant mothers will have one or more complications of pregnancy. Many women will need to leave work weeks or months in advance of their due date. Others may miss work when they suffer a miscarriage. Short-term disability plans provide income protection for these circumstances, which becomes especially important for high-risk pregnancies.

Ask your Employer

Short-term disability with pregnancy and maternity leave benefits are only available through your employer. Your opportunity for a positive return on your maternity leave income is a loss for the insurance carrier. Insurers are willing to absorb losses on pregnancy and maternity leave policies, provided they have the opportunity to market other policies to your co-workers.

It's easy to get your employer on board, even if they don't offer such a program now. There is no direct cost to your employer, as you pay the premium. Your employer simply needs to deduct the premium from your paycheck, and forward the money to the insurance carrier once a month. The policies are portable. If you separate from your employer, you can keep the policy at the same rate. You own the policy.

Contact a local agent specializing in voluntary employee benefit programs. The agent can speak to your employer, and provide you the opportunity to pay for this coverage through payroll deduction.

It is important for moms and dads to know the facts about maternity leave and to know your rights in the USA.

I know two women here in the United States where I live, who recently found out they were pregnant. Both have claimed for years, they did not want children. After the initial baby blues, these mommies to be are tickled pink! One of the ladies will be 39 by the time her child is born. Luckily, she has been with the same employer for over a decade. This dedication has earned twelve weeks paid maternity leave. The younger expectant Mom only qualifies for the standard six weeks off work. This is not a lot of time- to give birth, recuperate, and bond with your newborn.

What if the pregnancy becomes difficult in the final trimester? Sometimes your gynecologist will prescribe bed rest for women who are experiencing complications. You may need to stay off your feet for weeks before delivery. Someone told me of a new mother who was harassed by her boss to return to work early when her son was only five weeks old. Mothers do not deserve the additional pressure of worrying over job security, while trying to take care of their growing family. A woman should not have to put their health at risk, working right up to the due date.

We cannot leave fathers out of the excitement. After they receive the news of becoming a Dad, there are other important events to share. They are needed at doctor visits and naturally at the hospital when the baby is born. Employers in the United States frown enough on mothers expecting maternity leave. It is practically unheard of for the father to expect time off work. Parents to be require an adjustment period to this new life that will change their lives forever. Dads are expected to take the bare minimum off their normal schedule. This does not take into account, the outcome of a premature or ill baby.

In America, only one in seven workers receives paid leave for childbirth. The wealthiest nation in the world puts maternity leave at the bottom of the family values list. The business outlook in the USA is not looking out for the parents of this country. Instead, we are made to feel guilty of leaving our workplace in an awkward position. Added insecurity of our jobs being in jeopardy, does not lead to a healthy environment. Keeping our families and employment in check requires juggling financial demands and bouncing babies.

You may find uncaring management at fault, although most maternity leave policies are not dictated at the office level but by the US government. It pays you to know your legal rights. The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, states that you are allowed at least 12 weeks of unpaid maternity leave, if your company employs more than 50 people. You must have been employed full-time for at least a consecutive year to be eligible.

Maternity leave rights guarantee a job will be waiting your arrival back to work. Your employer is not legally bound to hold the exact position you left. Your pay is guaranteed to stay the same or better when you return. It is a violation of the Law, if you are told your job no longer exists after taking maternity leave. Congratulations on your new bundle of joy. Finding balance between home and income is a labor of love.

If you have injured yourself (on or off the job) and have been rendered temporarily disabled, you may be collecting short term disability benefits. The benefits may be paid out by the social security administration or from disability insurance provided by your employer. How short-term disability benefits are taxed varies depending on whether they are public benefits (such as social security) or private benefits, such as those provided by your employer. Taxation of these types of benefits also varies greatly from state to state and program to program. It is beneficial to speak with a qualified tax advisor in your area early in your short term disability period to know exactly what to expect. Below are some guidelines to get you started.

Public Short Term Disability Benefits

Generally speaking, if Social Security Disability (SSD) is the only income you are receiving, you can expect to pay little to no tax on that income. The reasoning is that the public disability benefit is considered to be limited income. In this case, the IRS gives you a break by taxing only a portion of the benefits based on what other income you may be receiving. If you are receiving other income, such as worker's compensation benefits, investment income or other income, you must take a look at the IRS's guidelines more closely. Even if you receive no other income during your disability period, but did receive income from your employment during a portion of the year, you will have to pay taxes on a portion of the income. Generally, the federal guidelines are as follows:

o If you file a federal tax return as an "individual" and your combined income is at least $25,000 but not greater than $34,000, you may have to pay income tax on up to 50 percent of your temporary Social Security Disability benefits.

o If your combined income is above $34,000, you will have to pay taxes on up to 85% of your SSD benefits

If you file a joint return:

o You could be taxed on up to 50 percent of your SSD benefits if your household's combined income is between $32,000 and $44,000.

o If your combined income is greater than $44,000, up to 85 percent of your Social Security benefits are subject to income tax.

o If you are married and file a separate tax return, you are likely to pay taxes on your benefits.

Again, the rules will vary from state to state, and you should discuss your personal situation with a qualified tax professional.

Private Short Term Disability Benefits

For short term disability benefits paid by private insurance plans, the rules are different. The IRS will tax either the premiums that were paid for the disability insurance policy or the actual benefits paid to the claimant. If the premiums deducted from an employee's paycheck are paid with after-tax dollars, they were included in taxable income, thus the benefits received from the policy are not taxable income. If, on the other hand, the employer offers the short term disability insurance as an employee benefit and deducts the premiums as a business expense, then the IRS taxes the benefit payments made to the claimant. If you have started or will soon start receiving short term disability benefits from an insurance plan, make sure you understand how the plan is taxed by the IRS.

Now that you understand the basics of how the IRS taxes short term disability benefits, make sure you speak with a qualified tax professional to get specific information that is pertinent to your own personal circumstances.

If you live in Pennsylvania and are searching for health coverage for you and your family it's vital that you choose the right carrier. With the recent rise of people losing their employer paid health coverage it's becoming increasingly important to choose a medical insurance company that will cover your health related expenses with reliability and the least amount of aggravation.

With this in mind, Highmark Blue Shield was recently chosen as the 2009 award recipient for best health plans in Pennsylvania by JD Power (JD Power is a well regarded consumer rating service which provides non biased reviews and ratings of various products and services). As point of reference dental insurance was not considered in the evaluation.

The top ten insurance companies which were compared were: Aetna, Capital, CIGNA, Geisinger Health Plan, HealthAmerica/HealthAssurance (part of the Coventry family), Highmark Blue Shield, Highmark Blue Cross, Independence, United Healthcare and UPMC. Each carrier was rated on eight different factors with a corresponding score of 1 to 5 stars. The company with the highest combined score received the award.

Of the eight evaluated categories, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield rated best (five stars) in six of the eight areas including "Overall Experience". The only other insurance company which was close was their "sister" carrier Highmark Blue Cross. Some of the other categories which they garnered top honors were: "Coverage and Benefits", "Provider Choice" and "Claims Processing."

It's important to point out that most health insurance plans offered by Highmark will match up closely with many employer sponsored coverage which tend to be rich in benefits. There is also a level of comfort that is attached with the Blue Cross Blue Shield moniker.

Having a baby is one of the most exciting events for a woman. There is an extensive spread of awareness to having a healthy baby and preventing birth defects. Prenatal vitamins are among the most important things that women should know during a pregnancy period. It must be a top priority because at this vital time, most of the nutrients are used up by the body as it is nurturing the baby's health. These are very important for today's way of life because many women don't have enough time to eat proper and nutritious foods. However, you must remember that it is only a dietary supplement and not a substitute to healthy foods.

The prenatal vitamins prescribed by physicians have great quality and have better absorption of the body. Vitamins are more accessible because it is covered by insurance making it affordable to women. These are multivitamins essentially formulated for pregnant women. Multivitamins come in various formulations depending on your needs. It includes additional vitamins and minerals that a mother needs in order for her to handle the added nutrients that her pregnancy demands.

Calcium is undoubtedly a necessary nutrient for the development of your baby. A woman needs additional calcium mainly because the baby is developing in the womb. Calcium is best to help a mother to maintain her normal blood pressure and water balance during the pregnancy period. It also aids in the formation of the baby's bones and teeth. The development of the skeletal system of the baby takes calcium from its mother. Lack of calcium supplement increases the chance of stress fracture. It could also harm the teeth and bones of the mother. Prenatal vitamins provide the additional calcium that the body requires.

Folic acid is also another important nutrient during pregnancy. It is necessary for the growth of the unborn baby. It helps reduce the risk of neural tube defects, promotes normal cell replication and growth, promotes the development of the fetal central nervous system and reduces the risk of brain and spinal defects.

Iron is a very important element of prenatal vitamins because a mother's iron will be transferred to her developing baby. Iron is responsible in helping the mother and baby's blood to carry oxygen and it also supports fetal tissue growth. Most prenatal vitamins contain additional iron supplements to help the pregnant woman avoid the risk of being anemic. Many women suffer from iron deficiency because they are circulating blood for both their body and their baby. So, it is important to take prenatal vitamins to prevent this from happening.

Prenatal vitamins should not be ignored since it is very important to have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. A pregnant woman should go to her obstetrician or midwife to get proper advices about proper diet, general health stress, and other factors that should be considered. Always remember proper diet is still significant so that your body can absorb the nutrients needed for yourself and for your child's development.

Employee medical benefits are the additional benefits provided to the employees by the company. Every employee thinks to secure his future without any fear and by choosing variety of medical benefits; he can get rid of such fear. To run any business or organization it is necessary to provide a healthy working condition. Almost all the companies provide their employees with medical benefits so that they can give their best during their working hours without any fear. A healthy working environment always makes the employees work with enthusiasm and give the best output on their job.

Employee medical benefits enhance the overall safety and wellness of the employees by offering them several major medical benefit programs. The employee medical plan is provided to the employees through varies health programs. These plans provide you with the complete list of the benefits provided by them. There is a regular medical check up for the employees to provide the healthy working condition to the employees. Employees are provided with healthy and hygienic food by the company. The main aim is to ensure that all employees work with due regards to their own safety and health and that of others. Their attitude to safety will be a factor in determining their career advancement.

Employee medical benefits act as a preventive measure for future. First aid boxes are regularly checked for their content. Every company provides a well equipped occupation center for the treatment of all sort of injuries and it is expected that all of the staff will, when necessary, use the facility available in case of serious injuries. He or she must be provided immediate first aid from the occupational health center or by trained First Aid personnel.

Employee medical benefit provides a healthy working environment. This will ultimately create a safe and hygienic environment that will help in improving productivity. It helps in creating job satisfaction and it also motivates employees to work in better and safer manner without any fear. Providing medical benefit at the right time in any accident helps to prevent premature death of employees. It also helps to improve the morale of the employees.

There are many benefits provided to the employees. Some of them are dental benefits, disability benefits, life accidental death and dependent life benefits and employee wellness program. Employee medical benefits also include holidays for the sick person. It is 12 days paid holiday. There are even maternity benefits provided in form of 100% payment for up to a period of 18 weeks. There is even business travel accident insurance for the employees.

Effective employee medical benefits raise productivity. Employees working in government firms enjoy wide range of family friendly benefits. There are several benefits covered under it. One of them is benefit while travelling and the other is worksite health and wellness benefit. The employee is eligible to enjoy all the medical facilities only if he is a full time employee, who works 40 hours per week and is expected to continue in the job for at least 4翻 months. And the employee should not be insured by another medical plan.

Before starting with ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) treatments, take two steps to make your treatments more affordable. Your health insurance policy may or may not cover your treatment costs, so learn the tax rules relating to un-reimbursed medical expenses. ICSI enjoys fertilization rate of 75% - 85%, which suggests your odds are good that you may become pregnant and deliver a baby. Translate those favorable odds into a positive insurance payoff. Buy supplemental insurance that covers your normal pregnancy and delivery.

ICSI Tax Considerations

If you are like many couples, your health insurance may limit coverage, or not even cover your ICSI treatments at all. Keep in mind that what you pay out of pocket is considered un-reimbursed medical expenses. These can be deducted on your tax return. Amounts above 7.5% of your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) may provide some tax relief. Use your employer's flexible spending account, get tax savings on your first dollar of expenses, and avoid the AGI trap all together.

ICSI Treatment Success Rates

In ICSI treatments utilize specialized needles to pick up individual sperm, and inject the sperm directly into the woman's egg. This will usually result in normal fertilization in about 75-85% of eggs injected with sperm. Pregnancy rates are slightly higher with this procedure as it tends to be used most frequently in case of male factor cases. The egg quality is often better than procedures dealing with female factor cases.

Play the ICSI Odds

If your chances of conception are high when using ICSI, consider purchasing supplemental insurance before starting your procedure. Supplemental insurance will pay cash benefits directly to you for your normal labor and delivery. Your benefit may greatly exceed the premium you pay. Use the excess to offset any left over ICSI costs, or to fund your maternity leave.

You also will gain important security in case of complications - all at no additional cost.

Connecticut-based Aetna offers a wide variety of health insurance plans for families, individuals and students. Aetna also offers benefits through various employers throughout the United States. If you are interested in purchasing Aetna insurance, you should know that many of their plans are designed as Health Maintenance Organizations, or HMOs. This means that you will be required to select a medical provider from the network to be your Primary Care Physician. However, Aetna prides itself on offering choice to consumers and has a variety of other insurance options available. Nearly 19 million people in the United States receive medical insurance through Aetna.

Not all of Aetna's plans force patients to deal with an HMO. Aetna also offers several PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) Plans as well as a few more traditional options that allow patients to visit any provider they choose. Students can also choose to purchase Aetna insurance if they are not covered under their parents' plans. Most plans are competitively priced and, due to the network structure, may have lower deductibles than similar plans from other companies. Available plans may vary from state to state.

Aetna offers dental insurance as an addition to its health insurance plans, although dental is not offered as a stand-alone product. Benefits and rates will vary. Dental plans through Aetna are structured much like their medical insurance; you can choose a DHMO (Dental Health Maintenance Organization, or as Aetna calls it, a DMO), PPO, indemnity, or freedom-of-choice. People who choose to enroll in a DMO plan will be required to choose a Primary Care Dentist who will take care of all needed dental care. Preventive care is covered in full once every six months and basic procedures are covered after a co-pay has been determined. Aetna insurance also offers life and disability insurance for interested parties.

Although Aetna is one of the leading insurance providers on the market, like any other company it has both advantages and disadvantages. Aetna does impose pre-existing condition exclusion periods and performs extensive medical underwriting. Young mothers may want to consider another health insurance provider if they are pregnant and cannot cover the costs themselves. Aetna insurance does not cover maternity-related expenses; it does, however, cover pregnancy complications. Newborns are also covered for the first 31 days. Finally, Aetna does not provide insurance to anyone older than 64 職 years old. The broad coverage and competitive pricing Aetna provides may be enough to offset these drawbacks. Do your research before you make a final decision.

If you need assistance finding coverage with Aetna, please visit our website at http://www.health-insurance-buyer.com and provide your contact information so we can respond to your request and guide you.

There are so many things that you can do to keep yourself and your baby healthy during the stage of pregnancy. There might be some risks associated with this stage but you can always avoid them as long as you know the things that you should do and should not do during pregnancy. Ignorance is one of the biggest and unacceptable mistakes one can make so to help you go through this special moment in your life, below are some of the most important things that you should do and should not do during pregnancy:

Things to Do During Pregnancy

• Get Regular Medical Check-ups

This is one of the best and surest ways to avoid the complications and problems that may arise during pregnancy.

• Ask Your Doctor for RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for Prenatal Supplements

By getting the right amount of prenatal supplements like vitamins, minerals and folic acid, you are significantly reducing your baby's risk for health complications.

• Get German Measles Vaccination

German measles is very dangerous especially if it is caught by a pregnant woman. This may lead to fetal deformities and miscarriages.

• Eat Protein-rich Foods

Pregnant women are often advised to have at least 100 grams of protein intake each day. This is essential for the proper growth and development of the baby's brain. Protein is also the mother's protection against preeclampsia.

• Eat Healthy Foods and Exercise

Your diet should include plenty of fiber, vitamins and minerals and other nutrients that are necessary to keep yourself and your baby healthy. It is also recommended that you follow some pregnancy exercise programs to watch your weight.

• Consult your Doctor for Preexisting Medical Conditions

Preexisting medical conditions are one of the common causes of high risk pregnancy. If you have history of chronic health problems, open it up to your doctor so that he can come up with the medical recommendations.

• Get Enough Fat

Non-pregnant women normally avoid foods rich in cholesterol and fat but these are necessary for pregnant women because fats and cholesterol are necessary to absorb the fat soluble vitamins like Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, and Vitamin K.

• Learn the Kegal Exercise

Labor and child delivery can be very painful especially when the Kegal muscles are very weak. To avoid experiencing too much pain, it is very important that you do Kegal exercises.

• Focus on your Baby and Think Positively

Prenatal bonding is necessary for the healthy well being of your baby. To do this, you should always think of your baby along with the positive thoughts of having him in your womb.

• Avoid traveling but if you really have to travel, take extra care!

There are special considerations required for pregnant women who are traveling. As much as possible, pregnant women should avoid traveling especially to foreign countries but if there is really a need to travel, you have to get complete immunity vaccination.

Things Not to Do during Pregnancy

• Smoking, Drinking Alcohol and Taking Illegal Drugs

These three are known as health hazards even when you are pregnant or not. Thus, these three are even more hazardous when done or taken by a pregnant woman because of the baby inside her womb.

• Taking Over-the-Counter or Prescription Drugs

Prescription or over-the-counter drugs may be safe for non-pregnant women but may be devastating when taken by pregnant women especially during the first 8 weeks of pregnancy.

• Avoid Raising Your Temperature

Temperature above 102 degrees may pose danger to the fetus that is developing and growing in your womb.

• Avoid Drinking Too Much Coffee

Too much coffee or other drinks with caffeine may cause diabetes to develop.

• Avoid Eating Salmon and Sardines

Salmon and sardines contain high level of mercury and this may affect the development of the child's brain.

• Avoid Eating Junk Foods

Junk foods do not have vitamins and protein and junk foods may easily fill you up and may prevent you from eating other healthy foods.

• Avoid Too Much Vitamin A

Vitamin A is important for pregnant women but excessive intake of Vitamin A may cause birth defects and other problems.

• Avoid X-Rays

Exposure to X-rays may cause birth defects and fetal deformities.

• Avoid Exposure to Pesticides

Exposure to pesticides has a variety of devastating effects on the fetus depending on the type of chemical, intensity and length of exposure.

• Avoid Stress

Stress and emotional problems may cause high risk pregnancy and miscarriages.

There are a lot more things to do and to avoid during the stage of pregnancy and becoming aware of these things is the best way to keep yourself and your baby in good condition during this special moment of your life!

There are many reasons why people buy health insurance. One of the main reasons of getting a policy is to meet high medical expenses that may be difficult for the policyholder to afford under normal circumstances. Going to a medical center is stressful and people want to have a comfortable stay at the hospital. People want all the facilities in the medical center that they have at home. These facilities are expensive and people need to be adequately insured if they want to use the best facilities at the hospital.

Most health insurance providers will not cover pregnancy under normal plans. These insurance providers have their own terms when they offer pregnancy cover. Some insurance companies will provide insurance for pregnancy related issues but may not cover operation expenses. Therefore it is important that you understand the terms of the policy before you sign the agreement.

Some of the common pregnancy covers that are included in the policy are expenses incurred for treating complications during childbirth, expenses incurred on obstetrics procedures and examination and all other expenses related to childbirth. However, some insurance companies that offer pregnancy cover will require the policy holder to pay at least 2 policy premiums if they want to avail pregnancy benefit. Also, some companies may set a monetary limit on the pregnancy expenses that can be incurred in a year.

Most companies will offer reimbursement of medical expenses only for inpatient treatment. It is in your interest to select an insurance company that not only offers inpatient cover but also outpatient cover. However, people who out for comprehensive cover will have to pay higher premium.

If you are currently pregnant, your options, in order of desirability, are Medicaid, group insurance, and prepayment plans. After you are pregnant, it is not possible to issue an individual policy. Application will automatically be declined. If you are in the process of planning your pregnancy, the best options for minimizing your maternity costs are Medicaid, group insurance, individual insurance with Blue Cross Blue Shield, prepayment plans, in order of descending desirability.

The average total maternity charges submitted to Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina in 2007 was $20,015 per pregnancy 1. A patient may be required to pay this full amount, however many families negotiate with hospitals and providers to pay a discounted rate when the only option is to pay out of pocket.

When planning to cover the costs of maternity the four primary options in North Carolina are as follows:

1. Group maternity insurance coverage. This is often the most advantageous way to pay for maternity costs because many group policies cover maternity for all females on the policy without an additional rider. Also, if you are already pregnant, and don't meet the income requirements for Medicaid, this is your best shot at getting your pregnancy covered by an insurance company. Additionally, some group policies do not consider pregnancy a preexisting condition, so this is a good option to consider if you are already pregnant.

After the charges have been submitted to the insurance company, it is worthwhile to ask the hospital if you can get a discount by paying the deductible in full as opposed to making payments over time. I am aware of instances where the deductible has been discounted for a prompt payment in full.

2. Individual maternity insurance coverage with Blue Cross Blue Shield. At the date of this writing, I am only aware of one individual health insurance company in North Carolina that offers coverage for maternity. The company is Blue Cross Blue Shield and the policies are Blue Advantage簧 and Blue Options HSA sm. I am not aware of any individual health insurance policy that will cover you after you are already pregnant. HumanaOne previously offered an individual maternity policy, but has since discontinued it. I am generally skeptical of small health insurance companies, if you are even able to find one that offers maternity, because they are often on tight budgets and as a result their policies often contain ungainly loopholes.

The Blue Cross Blue Shield individual policy is somewhat similar to a prepayment plan through a hospital, as the premiums for adding the maternity rider are fairly substantial. However, the benefit of the policy is that, in the event of a pregnancy that involves complications, your costs are much more predictable. Pregnancies with complications are often significantly more expensive than a normal delivery, so this option is more desirable than a straight prepayment plan.

Blue Cross Blue Shield's maternity plan uses the deductible and coinsurance of the plan it is attached to, so it is important to evaluate the varying cost of maternity riders within the context of the deductible and coinsurance of each plan. For example, suppose the maternity rider for a plan was $350 per month. Suppose this plan has a $2,500 deductible with 100% coinsurance. Now the total cost for the pregnancy over the course of a year is $350 times 12 months = $4,200 + the $2,500 deductible = $6,700 for the pregnancy. Now, suppose a second plan had a maternity rider for $450 per month. Suppose this plan has a $1,500 deductible with 100% coinsurance. Now the pregnancy would cost $450 times 12 months = $5,400 + the $1,500 deductible = $6,900. With this hypothetical scenario, the first option is better even though the deductible is higher. The purpose of this example is the illustrate the importance of paying attention to how much it costs to lower your deductible.

With Blue Cross Blue Shield's maternity plan, it is also important to plan the timing of the pregnancy. The individual deductible reset every January 1st, so it is best to start a maternity policy at the beginning of the year and start trying to get pregnant at that point. Otherwise, the pregnancy will overlap calender years and you may have to meet your deductible more than once.

3. Medicaid maternity coverage. Visit the NC state Medicaid website for current income eligibility requirements.

4. Prepayment plans. I you are already pregnant, a prepayment plan is a last resort. In this case, you should contact the prenatal and delivery caregivers to negotiate a prepay rate. Many hospitals offer discounts for paying out of pocket in advance. When conducting prepayment negotiations it is important to be very specific about what is covered by the arrangement and if the price includes complications of pregnancy, or only normal delivery.

Summary
Overall, from a financial perspective, Medicaid is typically the least expensive option, followed by group insurance. Individual maternity with Blue Cross Blue Shield is the third most desirable as a measure to minimize the cost of unexpected complications of pregnancy. The fourth option is the prepayment plan negotiated directly with the provider.

1. Average charges submitted to Blue Cross Blue Shield NC for maternity services, professional and hospital etc. in 2007. Your charges may vary.

Since pregnancy is considered to be one of the most complex stages in womanhood, each woman who is under this stage is advised to purchase a health insurance. There are actually a lot of things that can go wrong during the period of pregnancy. The health of the expectant mother and her baby can be put at risk if the right medical services are not sought. Because of this, a health insurance should be around to prepare pregnant women for the unexpected. It is also advisable for them to receive checkups periodically in order for them to have a guarantee that the pregnancy is properly progressing, thereby immediately detecting problems with the unborn child, if ever there are any. With a good coverage around, they do not need to worry about the amount that they need to spend for all of these.

The good thing about pregnancy insurance is that anyone can purchase it at the planning stage for pregnancy. One can even purchase it during that period when she is already expecting. If you are thinking of buying a pregnancy insurance, then you have to bear in mind that there are a lot of insurance providers out there that offer customized packages so you need not worry about finding that which will suit your needs. Once you have chosen the perfect coverage for you, you will no longer be extremely burdened about all the medical expenses linked to pregnancy and childbirth.

If you want to save a substantial amount from purchasing the health insurance, then it is advisable for you to obtain it before you ever become pregnant. The monthly premiums for this are known to be lower when compared to those that are obtained by already pregnant women. It is also important for you to take note of the fact that there are insurance providers out there that view pregnancy as a preexisting condition. This makes them ask for higher premiums for maternity coverage. If you can afford the pregnancy health insurance, then you should make it a point to purchase one. This will allow you to enjoy financial protection while waiting for your baby to come out.

Pregnancy is indeed a complex and sensitive stage. Aside from the health risks that are linked to it, you may also incur a lot of expenses including fees for regular check-ups, ultrasound, healthcare products, obstetrician's consultation service, surgical fee, hospital admission and delivery costs. If you do not want to be burdened financially, then a pregnancy health insurance is perfect for you. Just make sure that you pick the best one out of the many pregnancy health insurance policies that are offered by different insurance providers.

If you are in search of low cost health insurance for pregnant women, then you should consider trying out the many federally funded programs that offer healthcare coverage for people with low income. Medicaid is one of them and this allows you to enroll in a plan even if you are already pregnant. Another good program is the CHIP. There are states that offer specialized programs for healthcare and you have to determine if your state offers one.

It is also advisable for you to familiarize yourself about each of your best choices. Shop around for the best health insurance coverage for pregnant women by visiting the internet so you can start gathering relevant information from reliable sources online. All it takes is for you to search online the leading and the most reputable health insurance companies at present and try to deal with their agents. Make sure that you get quotes from them so you can easily compare their prices and the kind of pregnancy health insurance policies that they offer. This will allow you to pick the most ideal policy for you.

When you sign up for health insurance, one of the first choices you are expected to make is how high you want your medical insurance deductible to be. What they are really asking is how much money do you want to pay directly to your health care providers before your health insurance kicks in and takes care of the rest.

You may be thinking to yourself, "Why would I want to pay anything to my doctor? Isn't that the job of the health insurance company? What am I paying health insurance for then?"

Well, the simple answer is that there is a tradeoff between your annual medical insurance deductible and your monthly medical insurance premium. The higher your deductible, the lower your monthly premiums will be. The lower your annual deductible, the higher your monthly premiums will be.

Now, if you are generally a healthy person who rarely ever gets sick, rarely ever goes to the doctor, doesn't take any prescription medications, and you don't need maternity coverage, then the equation is very simple: You could go with the lower monthly premium option. You would only pay toward your annual deductible on an as-needed basis, for those rare occasions when you might actually need to see a doctor.

On the other hand, if you or someone in your family visits the doctor frequently, needs to take prescription drugs, or if you are planning for a baby and need maternity coverage, then your medical expenses will no doubt be greater.

In this case, the choice between higher deductible with lower premiums and lower deductible with higher premiums really depends on how you want to budget your medical expenses. Medical insurance deductibles are a variable cost. You pay them directly to the doctor on an as-needed basis. So it is your responsibility to budget for your deductible expenses.

So if you have a lower monthly premium and a higher deductible, then you need to be ready to shell out the cash to pay your doctors.

Conversely, if you have a higher monthly premium and a lower deductible, then your medical expenses will be much easier to budget for because they will be more fixed: You pay a higher premium, but it is a fixed monthly cost. And your deductible is much lower, so your variable expenses will be a lot cheaper and thus easier to budget for.

The expense of pregnancy can be the highest in a woman's life because it requires special medical support. Without insurance, it can be overwhelming and harmful to family finances. It is easier to get pregnancy insurance before you are pregnant. However, if you are already pregnant and do not have insurance for your pregnancy, there are still options available for you to get insured and to reduce your maternity expenses.

Employer sponsored

Women who are employed can have access to pregnancy insurance through their employers. Check with your employer for health insurance that includes maternity coverage. If the once a year open period for insurance has not passed, you might still be able to add pregnancy coverage to your health insurance. You also have rights to coverage if you are switching jobs. This is effectively covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. It protects women from pregnancy related insurance discrimination by employers.

Marriage

If you are married, your spouse employment insurance can have options that can cover your pregnancy expenses. Discuss this with your spouse so he can add you to his employment insurance policy. Most insurance policies allow married couples to include their spouses.

Government

Pregnant women can also get medical assistance through the government. The following are the common programs:

Medicaid - Funded by the federal government and administered through the states. Medicaid is for people with low income. Therefore you have to be below a certain income level to qualify. If you have more than one source of income, dropping one might lower your income enough to qualify for Medicaid and reduce your maternity expenses.

There are other similar programs like American Plan and the Women, Infants and Children program. Contacting your local health department or Planned Parenthood can give you information on the programs that are available in your sate. Investigate all your alternatives if already pregnant without insurance.