How Much Does a Midwife Cost?
Building a family, as well all know, adds new expenses to the family budget, starting with prenatal and birth care. For expecting parents considering their options, a planned home birth with a licensed midwife may sound like a great idea. I sure think so! The first question is often, “is homebirth safe?” Here is an article I wrote about that question. And here is another resource to help you decide for yourself.
The second question expecting parents usually ask about homebirth is, “how much does a midwife cost?”
I’m going to break down the question, give you some answers, and suggest some more quetsions you can ask.
Different types of midwives
Well, there are different types of midwives in the United States. Only certified nurse midwives (CNMs) can work in the hospital. Some CNMs also attend home births. Certified professional midwives (CPMs), also known as direct entry midwives, are trained and specialize specifically in out-of-hospital birth. Lay midwives and birth keepers generally practice without a specific certification or license.
In some states, CPMs attend home and birth center births. In Maryland, we currently don’t have any free-standing birth centers. Licensure is available for CPMs as Licensed Direct Entry Midwives (LDEMs), and we attend exclusively homebirths for low risk pregnancies. If you’re considered high risk, it’s worth reaching out to a midwife anyway, to find out if their risk categories are different, ask for recommendations, and consider parallel care.
What’s included?
Homebirth midwifery services include complete prenatal care, lab work, on-call availability, two qualified people present for labor and delivery, and postpartum care and tend to be much more holistic than care with an OB or even hospital-based midwifery practice. Appointments are longer, and you get to develop a relationship over the course of your pregnancy. What you get with a midwife is much more comprehensive than standard obstetrical care.
Out of pocket costs for home birth include the midwife’s fee, a modest expenditure for birth supplies, birth pool rental if you’re planning a water birth, and in some cases an additional fee for the birth assistant. Certain medications and supplements may be included, and others must be paid for separately. Most homebirth midwives ask that their fees be fully paid by 36 weeks. Most of us offer payment plans as well as discounts for financial need.
I include most birth supplies in my fee and ask clients to gather some basics they might have on hand anyway. Here’s a link to my birth supply list, so you can see for yourself what you might need.
Will insurance cover the fees?
Insurance coverage varies for homebirth midwifery services, depending on your insurance company and your plan. It’s rare to find an out-of-hospital midwife who actually takes insurance, but many of us work with a billing service who can seek reimbursement once care is complete. Here is some specific information from the billing service I use. Sometimes a gap exception can be filed to get you reimbursement even when your insurance company wouldn’t ordinarily cover our services. Hospital birth with a midwife is more often covered by standard insurance plans, but it can be hard to find a hospital-based practice in which midwives provide all or most of the labor and delivery care.
Is It Worth It?
Why would you pay out of pocket for midwifery care when you could go the hospital and give birth there for little to no cost? Here is a post I wrote on exactly that question.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a midwife cost without insurance?
Midwife fees generally range from $3000-$9000. It depends on the area you live in and what services are included in the fee. You can always reach out to inquire what is included and what kinds of discounts and payment plans are available.
How much does a midwife cost with insurance?
Contact your insurance company to find out your portion of the cost. Sometimes you might get thousands of dollars back and other times nothing. For my services, I have my clients fill out a Verifcation of Benefits form with my insurance biller at the onset of care or even beforehand to find out what they might be able to get back at the end of care.
How much does a midwife cost near me?
In the Baltimore area, most midwives charge between $4000 and $8000. CNMs tend to charge more. Some midwives include in their package the fee for their birth assistant or second midwife and other special services like herbs, birth pool rental, and bodywork. Others charge separately for each additional service.
How much is a midwife home birth?
You’ll probably pay in the neighborhood of $4000-8000 when all is said and done, minus whatever your insurance company reimburses. While this sounds like a big investment, the benefits for parents and baby cannot be overestimated!
Get in Touch
Are you considering a home birth in the Baltimore area? You can read more about my homebirth midwifery services here. Considering giving birth in the hospital with midwives and looking for a doula? Here is my doula services page. Be in touch! Click here to schedule a free consult. I’d love to hear from you!
