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Move Beyond the Baby Basics – Examine Your Benefits and Budget

(ARA) - More than 1 million babies are born in the U.S. during the summer months – June, July and August. And for many of these parents, the expense of welcoming a new baby can be a bit of a shock, especially if they have not taken the time to revise their family budget. 

Expectant mothers often spend more time decorating the nursery than evaluating how their growing family will impact their health benefits. In fact, a new national survey conducted by Aetna and the Financial Planning Association (FPA) found that 71 percent of expectant mothers say they’ve spent practically no time reviewing their health benefits. 

"It's important for expectant and new parents to thoroughly review their health benefits and family budgets. Pregnancy is the ideal time for combing through the details of their health plans, for example, to make sure all the bases are covered. Fortunately, there are resources and experts available for new moms and dads to get great advice planning for their future," says Sandy Jones, co-author with Marcie Jones of “Great Expectations: Your All-in-One Resource for Pregnancy & Childbirth.” 

Plan for Your Health, a public education program from Aetna and FPA, can help you make the best health benefits and financial choices for you and your new baby. Here are a few helpful tips:

Review Your Benefits

Know what your plan covers during pregnancy to fully maximize your health benefits.

* Schedule time to look closely at your coverage, in between reading baby-related books and magazines and shopping for baby accessories.

* Find out if your health plan covers genetic counseling and other new, cutting-edge services as well as traditional services.

Revise Your Family Budget

While health insurance may cover many medical costs, there are other expenses to consider. Don’t forget that these additional expenses should also be included in your overall family budget. 

* Create a new budget to include baby-related expenses.

* Estimate daily expenses such as diapers and formula to include in your budget.

* Account for health care expenses such as health insurance, non-covered medical expenses, life insurance, additional doctors’ appointments, deductibles, premium costs, coinsurance and co-payments.

* Speak with your doctor about the cost of a normal delivery vs. a complicated one and what your insurance will cover.

Plan for Your Health

Expectant parents can visit PlanforYourHealth.com, featuring a newly expanded “Family” section, with tips, checklists and tools on health and financial information on bringing home baby. The tools and information include:

* A “Baby Expense Calculator” to help expectant parents estimate the cost of pregnancy and their new baby in the first year

* Tips for finding and interviewing a pediatrician

* Expectant family health benefits and financial checklist 

* Adoptive family health benefits and financial checklist

In addition to information about planning for a new baby, www.PlanforYourHealth.com  provides easy-to-understand information on other life events -- changing jobs, getting married and starting over -- in order for you to make well-informed decisions at critical moments in life.

Courtesy of ARA Content

^* If you are not satisfied within the first 30 days of becoming a member, you may cancel your membership in writing by mail to 5700 Democracy Drive, Plano, Texas 75024, fax to (469) 229-4595 or email to stop@stopmembership.com. Your membership fee will be refunded. Please be aware that the one-time administrative fee and money paid for healthcare services and products are not refundable. After 30 days membership fees are not-refundable. You may cancel your membership at any time upon written request to AmeriPlan®.