Self-Pay Clients

Paying for Care - Financial Planning During Pregnancy

Financial planning is an essential component of preparing for the birth of your baby. The Minnesota Birth Center (MBC) is happy to be your partner in planning for your pregnancy-related healthcare costs so that upon the arrival of your sweet baby there are no financial surprises. MBC works frequently with self-pay clients, including those who participate in medical cost-sharing groups like Samaritan Ministries or Medishare. We offer a 15% discount off the billed amount for any client who is self-pay.

Financial Policy for SELF-Pay CLIENTS

– Insured Clients, please click here – 

MBC’s financial policy for self-pay clients is that they prepay their anticipated costs for care by 37 weeks of pregnancy. If you are planning on birthing at one of our birth centers, MBC will also collect a down payment for your baby’s anticipated costs for care.

We hold these prepayments in your MBC account as a credit. As claims for your care process we will draw from your prepayment to satisfy the amount due. At the conclusion of your care with MBC any amount you have overpaid will be refunded to you, and any amount you still owe (perhaps due to additional care you received in pregnancy) will be billed to you.

Our hope is that by prepaying a good chunk of the cost of your care before your baby even arrives earthside, that you will have fewer bills to worry about when you are home together as a family.

what you can expect when you establish care at MBC

Prior to your first visit with us, you will be presented with a self-pay financial contract that reflects your prepayment amount. We ask that you make a plan to prepay this amount by completing your contract no later than your second visit. You get to choose when and how you prepay (e.g. one lump sum or multiple prepayments), as long as all prepayments are made by 37 weeks or alternative arrangements have been made. As a self-pay client we will also send you a “Cost of Care” estimate similar to this one which you may use to begin any reimbursement process with your cost-sharing ministry. Beginning February 1st, 2020, there will be a 2.5% processing fee for all debit and credit card transactions in order to offset the merchant fees charged by the card issuer. There is no processing fee for check and cash payments.

Please take a moment to review the most commonly asked questions about paying for care at MBC. In addition, our Billing Team is happy to assist you via phone or email (612-545-5311 ext. 1 / billing@theminnesotabirthcenter.com). We respond to billing inquiries within two business days.

Frequently asked questions

What can I expect my costs for care will be?
MBC is happy to work with clients who do not have insurance and clients who utilize a medical cost sharing group. While we’d love to give you an exact dollar amount (right down to the penny!) the amount that you will ultimately pay for your birth is dependent on the care you receive over the course of your pregnancy and birth.

The MBC BirthBundle® listed below outlines the average costs for birth at MBC. As a self-pay client we would provide you with a similar “Cost of Care Estimate”, which would reflect a 15% discount from the amount we typically bill for services. You can use this document as a starting point for reimbursement with your cost-sharing group.

Remember that the Cost of Care Estimate is for routine care at MBC. It does not include the cost of labs (typically sent to Quest Diagnostics), problem visits, non-routine care, or any care received at Abbott or United Hospitals or any facility outside of MBC. These businesses will bill you directly.

MBC’s providers (Certified Nurse-Midwives, RNs, Sonographers, and Medical Director) are committed to practicing evidence-based care and will only assess, test, and treat when medically indicated.

BirthBundle®

CPT / CARE FOR MOTHER / PRICE
99205 / 60 min Initial Consultation / $382.50
81025 / Pregnancy Test / $13.39
99000 / Specimen Handling x 3 / $38.25
36415 / Venipuncture x 3 / $32.13
59400 / Maternity Care / $4,165.00
96127 / Mental Health Assessments x 6 / $80.33
76805 / 20wk Ultrasound / $373.15
59409SG / Facility Fee / $4,802.50
A4550 / Delivery Supply Kit / $127.50
99349 / Home Visit / $252.45
Mother Total / $10,267.19

CPT / CARE FOR NEWBORN / PRICE
99464 / Newborn Exam / $280.50
99463 / Care and Discharge / $255.00
J3430 / Vitamin K Injection / $26.35
88720 / Bilirubin / $22.10
99463SG / Newborn Facility Fee / $1,360.00
99348 / 24 Hr. Home visit / $164.90
99000 / Specimen Handling / $12.75
36416 / Heel Stick / $4.46
92558 / NB Hearing Screen / $133.45
S3620 / Metabolic Screen / $178.50
Newborn Total / $2,438.01

TOTAL: $12,705.21
Please note that the costs above are subject to change.

How does MBC compare to the cost of a hospital birth?
Most people don’t realize that birth centers are usually a more cost-effective option than hospitals. As an example, here’s a snapshot of the Facility Fee billed for Mother’s stay at a few local hospitals compared to a stay at MBC. The hospital fees are based on an average two day hospital stay and the averages for calendar year 2017.

Service FacilityVaginal Delivery w/o complications*Normal Newborn*
Abbott Northwestern$14,041$5,390
HCMC$13,238$3,848
United$15,798$5,423
University of MN$13,527$4,425
Woodwinds$11,257$4,822
MN State Hospital Avg$13,572$4,782
MBC$4,965$1,500
Average Savings$8,672$3,282

If you have co-insurance on your insurance policy (i.e. the percentage of healthcare costs that you pay after your deductible has been met), then the cost-savings can be significant.

*Note: These charges reflect the average of what the hospital charges for use of their facility. This price does not include charges for the provider or other professional fees, such as pharmacy, diagnostic imaging, or lab work.Source

Does my baby need insurance? How do I obtain insurance for my baby?
If you birth at the Minnesota Birth Center your baby will receive care from our team. If you intend to be self-pay for your baby’s care these anticipated costs will be reflected in your financial contract and total prepayment amount.

If you plan to not be self-pay for your Baby’s care and instead plan to add your baby to an insurance policy, it is best to do some research in pregnancy to determine how you will insure your baby, as well as what paperwork the insurance company requires in order to add your baby to the policy. We ask that you give us the details of your baby’s coverage no later than 30 days after the birth so that we can submit his/her claims for care and so that this cost does not fully fall to you.

What happens if I transfer out of your practice prenatally?
If you want to or need to transfer out of MBC care, our Billing Team will be notified. We would process claims for the care you’ve received thus far and pull from any amount you’ve prepaid to cover the cost of that care. Any additional amount you owe will be billed to you, and any amount you’ve overpaid will be refunded.

What happens if I need to or want to transfer to the hospital in labor?
In instances of transfer to the hospital, your billing would reflect the care you received at the Minnesota Birth Center as well as any care our midwives provide at the hospital. If you transfer to the hospital in labor, you will not be charged by MBC for any baby care, because the hospital and their providers will charge for these services. Note that a Facility Fee would be charged by both MBC and the transferring hospital, but MBC’s fee would be less than the rate listed on our website. As with a birth center birth, we will process your claims and use any prepayment amounts to go toward those costs. Any amount leftover will be refunded to you, and any additional amount owed will be billed to you.

What if I have a question not answered here?
Not to worry – the MBC Billing Team is happy to help. Email us, or call 612-545-5311 ext 1. We’ll respond to your inquiry within two business days.