Is it more expensive to switch OB during pregnancy?

[Aabeling]

My husband and I are planning to move out of state when I am about 7 months preggo (our lease expires at that time.) I understand that the doctor charges one big price as a "package deal" for all the prenatal visits and tests, but what happens if I move and switch doctors? I am currently 9 weeks pregnant and I don't have an OB yet. (the one I planned to go to just told me they don't accept my insurance... after I showed up for my 1st appointment.)

I just don't understand how this works, am I going to have to pay a lot more if I switch doctors??

 

[Jtiki]

I'm going through something similar now, since I'm switching to a home birth and am still trying to figure out the insurance bills. It's very confusing.

I had been making monthly payments towards the "package deal," that seems to be common in the United States. But I just told my doctor's financial person that I was no longer planning to have him do the delivery. I'm still having a few future office visits, and those will be charged as regular doctor visits and not not part of the maternal fee that I'm currently doing. I just haven't figured out if those are more or less than what I'm currently paying.

The billing person says switches happens quite frequently and it takes a while to figure out the insurance payments. And yes, you usually end up paying more, but not twice as much. It depends how early or late do you make the switch. I would suggest you contact your OB's office now and tell them you are planning someone else to do the delivery. That way they can price your visits in a different billing cycle from the beginning.