by Lauren Mandel

Growing your family or even thinking about the possibility is a big decision that can change so many aspects of your life, including how you access health care. To help you learn more, we rounded up a few of the most important things you need to know about health care for your newborn, what to do when you find out you’re pregnant, and how to get coverage for your whole family.

If you already have health insurance…

If you’re thinking about getting pregnant or you’re already pregnant, the best case scenario is that you already have health insurance. Under the Affordable Care Act, all health plans must now cover certain benefits that will help you throughout and after your pregnancy, including prenatal care and newborn care. These benefits are referred to as the 10 Essential Health Benefits, and you’ll be glad you have them.

More good news: You get all of these benefits, even if you get pregnant before your plan takes effect. The Affordable Care Act says insurers cannot deny individuals coverage and benefits because of their pre-existing conditions, including pregnancy.

For alternative maternity care, such as midwives and home births, consult your specific health insurance provider to find out more about your current coverage.

Once your baby is born, you can either get a new health plan or add your baby to your current coverage.

If you don’t have health insurance yet…

Unfortunately, pregnancy is not considered a Qualifying Life Event, which is a life change that allow you to get health insurance outside of Open Enrollment. However, giving birth is a Qualifying Life Event, so even if you don’t have health insurance now, you will be able to get a new health insurance plan for you and your baby.

Not having health insurance while pregnant means you will have to pay for maternity care and childbirth out-of-pocket. You might want to consider purchasing a short-term health insurance plan to cover some of those costs before the baby is born.

If you think you don’t need health insurance… 

Think again. While it might not seem like a burden to pay for maternity and newborn care out-of-pocket, it can become extremely expensive. A one-day stay in an American hospital can cost as much as $4,000, and that’s before the extra care that comes along with having a baby. If you need to have a C-section, which many pregnant women do, you could end up paying more than $15,000.

If you’re pregnant and need more information about health insurance, call 888-322-7557.