Does a C-Section Lead to Higher Premiums?

Here's one you may not have heard of - some women who have given birth by caesarean section are seeing higher health insurance premiums or getting rejected for coverage all together. The recent trend has been an unwelcome surprise for some women applying for policies after having the operation. Making matters worse, the amount of women giving birth through c-section has recently reached an all time high, as has the amount of people looking for individual plans over family plans. Many women are upset over these premium increases because they willingly chose to have a caesarean birth completely unaware that it could affect their insurance later.

Why do C-Sections Affect Premiums?

So why does having the procedure affect premiums? Mainly because having the operation once can often lead to more Cesareans in future births. The problem for providers is that a Cesarean is usually over $2,500 more expensive than a regular birth. Rather than take the risk of having to pay for another Cesarean, insurers label the women as having a health condition and charge them higher rates. This practice is actually illegal in some states, in which case the providers simply reject applicants completely. Like other so-called conditions, insurers are simply looking for a way to protect themselves from possible expenses.

How You can Avoid a Rate Hike

Obviously, if your doctor wants you to have a Cesarean, there isn't a lot you can do to avoid it. In some cases, the procedure may be optional, in which case you're probably better off doing things naturally. Some companies are willing to overlook the procedure if the woman is sterilized after the operation, as then there's no risk that they could have another pregnancy and Cesarean. A premium increase may also be avoided if the woman applies for coverage at least two years after giving birth and is a certain age. Another thing to keep in mind, coverage purchased through employers isn't likely to increase due to a c-section as group policies generally require that the insurer cover everyone in the group at approximately the same rate.