Did you need your MFM at the hospital for anything?

[kbrooke06]

I had a great appt with the MFM today, until he asked where we are delivering.

Because our company (H and I work for the same one, is a healthcare provider) changed their insurance coverage for employees in our area, we got totally screwed this year. We only have one hospital that is covered. And they did away with our HMO coverage and made their own small 'preferred network' but did not include all specialties. So, we had to reach out to our PPO network and there is only one MFM covered. He is 30 minutes away, but we like him and really didn't have a choice anyways. He doesn't have privileges at the hospital we have to deliver at.

So, long story short, did you need your MFM for anything? I'm thinking this should be fine and that I shouldn't add this to the list of stressers. But, if I let my mind wander, what if I go into super early preterm labor? Or any of the other crazy things that can happen? Do I need to raise a stink about the fact that he wouldn't be able to come to the hospital to see me?

Thank you!

[astop87]

My MFM doesn't deliver, he just monitors the pregnancy. He's also an hr and a half away so either way he wouldn't be there. It sucks that yours can't be there either but I'm sure all will be ok w/o him.

[schmella]

Jun 29, 2015 19:58:11 GMT -5 kbrooke06 said:

I had a great appt with the MFM today, until he asked where we are delivering.

Because our company (H and I work for the same one, is a healthcare provider) changed their insurance coverage for employees in our area, we got totally screwed this year. We only have one hospital that is covered. And they did away with our HMO coverage and made their own small 'preferred network' but did not include all specialties. So, we had to reach out to our PPO network and there is only one MFM covered. He is 30 minutes away, but we like him and really didn't have a choice anyways. He doesn't have privileges at the hospital we have to deliver at.

So, long story short, did you need your MFM for anything? I'm thinking this should be fine and that I shouldn't add this to the list of stressers. But, if I let my mind wander, what if I go into super early preterm labor? Or any of the other crazy things that can happen? Do I need to raise a stink about the fact that he wouldn't be able to come to the hospital to see me?

Thank you!

That "only one hospital covered" statement is getting a major side-eye from me.  I'd be pressing the insurance company on this one.  If you were in another state traveling, would you not be covered in an emergency?  If you were admitted to that one hospital and were beyond their abilities, would your insurance not cover moving you to a better equipped facility? 

Because early preterm labor or complications at a certain level IS an emergency: we're not talking about elective procedures here.  Its not something you should be panicking about, but I'd want to have a solid plan in place ahead of time.  You deserve answers to those questions, and IF something happens, you should be able to focus on taking care of yourself and those LOs, not battling your insurance. 

[SassyPants150]

My MFM experience was only during pregnancy. I had my last u/s at 35+some days and then said they didn't see me again since I was going to deliver at 38 regardless.

[kbrooke06]

Jun 29, 2015 20:57:27 GMT -5 schmella said:

Jun 29, 2015 19:58:11 GMT -5 kbrooke06 said:

I had a great appt with the MFM today, until he asked where we are delivering.

Because our company (H and I work for the same one, is a healthcare provider) changed their insurance coverage for employees in our area, we got totally screwed this year. We only have one hospital that is covered. And they did away with our HMO coverage and made their own small 'preferred network' but did not include all specialties. So, we had to reach out to our PPO network and there is only one MFM covered. He is 30 minutes away, but we like him and really didn't have a choice anyways. He doesn't have privileges at the hospital we have to deliver at.

So, long story short, did you need your MFM for anything? I'm thinking this should be fine and that I shouldn't add this to the list of stressers. But, if I let my mind wander, what if I go into super early preterm labor? Or any of the other crazy things that can happen? Do I need to raise a stink about the fact that he wouldn't be able to come to the hospital to see me?

Thank you!

That "only one hospital covered" statement is getting a major side-eye from me.  I'd be pressing the insurance company on this one.  If you were in another state traveling, would you not be covered in an emergency?  If you were admitted to that one hospital and were beyond their abilities, would your insurance not cover moving you to a better equipped facility? 

Because early preterm labor or complications at a certain level IS an emergency: we're not talking about elective procedures here.  Its not something you should be panicking about, but I'd want to have a solid plan in place ahead of time.  You deserve answers to those questions, and IF something happens, you should be able to focus on taking care of yourself and those LOs, not battling your insurance. 

I haven't checked, because we have no plans to travel out of state, but I assume yes, in an emergency I would of course be covered.

If our hospital isn't equipped to care for us, then yes, they would send us (fully covered) to another location. The NICU here is level 2, which worries me. I've had friends who delivered here and their babies were flown to LA for care.

I guess it should all work out, but I didn't realize until my MF said the he wouldn't be able to come if there were issues, that I would even need the option to have him come see me.

I'm definitely going to have a long phone call with my insurance tomorrow. Its been a giant mess for us since the first of the year, and this just adds to it. since MFM is out of town, my OB office had never heard of them and vice versa. I only had one OB group that was covered by insurance and that also delivers at the hospital we need. Such a mess.

Thanks for your input!

[Deleted]

I never had a MFM at all, just my regular OB, if that puts you at ease at all.

[kbrooke06]

Jun 29, 2015 20:20:03 GMT -5 astop87 said:

My MFM doesn't deliver, he just monitors the pregnancy. He's also an hr and a half away so either way he wouldn't be there. It sucks that yours can't be there either but I'm sure all will be ok w/o him.

Mine doesn't deliver either, so that's why I wasn't even thinking about it. But, he brought it up since if there are complications that don't lead to delivery, he wouldn't be able to come visit and monitor them.

I guess I freaked out because the thought truly never came to me that I might need him at the hospital for something.

[anotherdreamer]

My MFM doesn't deliver either so it wouldn't have mattered.

[schmella]

Jun 29, 2015 21:32:34 GMT -5 kbrooke06 said:

Jun 29, 2015 20:57:27 GMT -5 schmella said:

That "only one hospital covered" statement is getting a major side-eye from me.  I'd be pressing the insurance company on this one.  If you were in another state traveling, would you not be covered in an emergency?  If you were admitted to that one hospital and were beyond their abilities, would your insurance not cover moving you to a better equipped facility? 

Because early preterm labor or complications at a certain level IS an emergency: we're not talking about elective procedures here.  Its not something you should be panicking about, but I'd want to have a solid plan in place ahead of time.  You deserve answers to those questions, and IF something happens, you should be able to focus on taking care of yourself and those LOs, not battling your insurance. 

I haven't checked, because we have no plans to travel out of state, but I assume yes, in an emergency I would of course be covered.

If our hospital isn't equipped to care for us, then yes, they would send us (fully covered) to another location. The NICU here is level 2, which worries me. I've had friends who delivered here and their babies were flown to LA for care.

Sorry, that bold part really was the point I was trying to make.  If there's complications, there has to be a way for you to get the help you need, especially if this MFM is the only one covered.  I certainly wouldn't be freaking out about it, but I'd want to have a plan, that's all.  But I'm a crazy planner. 

[snd1231]

I would definitely be calling and asking for some clarification. My MFM is the only doctor I am seeing. I do not even have a regular OB. My MFM will be the one delivering my three babies and monitoring the entire pregnancy. I guess I am a rare case. But seriously I would want my MFM to be able to come to the hospital just in case.

[sugar4bri]

I didn't need My MFM. I saw them at around 35 weeks and then that was it, but I had a very easy pregnancy. I was told that they would only deliver me if it was 32 weeks or earlier. Anything after that was my OB.

[anakah]

Jun 29, 2015 21:34:30 GMT -5 @twinstars said:

I never had a MFM at all, just my regular OB, if that puts you at ease at all.

+1

[astop87]

kbrooke06, ahhh I see what you're saying now. That's really weird! My OB loves and recommended my MFM so I can't see why she would have an issue even if he did want to swing by to see how things are going, but I don't expect him to be there. I would think he would only come by to visit and not try to run the show.

[julie216]

My MFM won't be delivering my babies. I have had a pretty unremarkable pregnancy. He just monitored me very 2 weeks.

[beachy]

I only went to the MFM for growth scans, and my last one was at 35.5 weeks. I've had a great pregnancy so they won't be at my delivery at all. If I had to deliver with them though I would need to be a different hospital.