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Maternity and Medical Insurance in Shanghai

Guest Speaker Anna Bailey on Wednesday, 26 January 2011.

If you are giving birth in Shanghai (or anywhere else in China, for that matter) you need to be well informed about your medical insurance plan. On January 26, Anna Bailey from the Abacare Group joined Bumps & Babes Talks to discuss some of the key issues to be aware of when evaluating pre- and post natal insurance plans.

1. Importance of choosing the right insurance plan in the beginning

  • Select a plan that offers comprehensive protection for you and not just for certain benefits such as maternity and dental
  • Ensure plan offers Guaranteed Renewability (insurance contract will renew every year no matter how much you have claimed)
  • Check for coverage of chronic conditions
  • Are congenital and hereditary conditions covered?

2. Maternity Insurance Benefits:

  • What is the waiting period for maternity?
  • What is the amount covered and is this applicable per pregnancy or per membership year?
  • Are there any sublimits within the maternity benefit for pre and post-natal care and delivery?
  • Does your plan offer cover for Complications of pregnancy under the In-Patient or Out-Patient benefit of your policy?

3. Maternity costs:

  • Buying a pre-natal or delivery package is much cheaper than either paying on the day for treatment, or having it direct billed to your insurance company
  • Check for extras that are not included in package prices – such as epidurals, amniocentesis, toxoplasma antibody, pre-natal vitamins and extra hospital visits and tests
  • Make sure that you submit a claims form signed by your assigned doctor along with details and dates of treatment

4. Enrolling a baby onto a medical insurance plan:

  • Most companies require that the baby is a dependant on a parent’s plan (mother or father)
  • Only a few companies will accept to insure a baby as the policyholder
  • Most insurance companies require a copy of the baby’s birth certificate for enrollment
  • Check to see if you have a time limit that you have to enroll the baby as a dependant

5. Check-List

  • Are routine check-ups form yourself and baby covered? e.g PAP Smear test and newborn neo-natal care?
  • Does your policy have a child wellness benefit that covers vaccinations? If so, what is the limit?
  • Does your plan have a specific benefit / limit for newborn cover?

6. Did you know?

  • Elective C-Sections are usually not covered (they have to be medically prescribed)
  • Gender Prediction Tests (normally blood tests) are normally excluded from insurance cover
  • That many insurance companies require that you notify them of an upcoming delivery to obtain Pre-Authorization (ideally a month before your due date)

For more information please contact:

Anna Bailey

ABACARE GROUP LIMITED

Tel: +86 138 1672 7470

Fax: +86 21 6374 1530

E-mail:anna.bailey@abacaregroup.com

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