Affordable Childbirth Education? Yes Please!
Tuesday, November 22, 2022
Between low-cost hospital-based classes and free YouTube videos, there’s a lot of interest in affordable education. We get it! Between the baby gear, limited parental leaves, and general inflation, babies typically mean that money is tighter. Luckily, with Birthsmarter no one has to settle for lower-quality information, due to financial limitations. As the founder of Birthsmarter, it was a huge stretch to afford the $350 for my childbirth education class back in 2014 and I am committed to ensuring Birthsmarter is accessible for all.
Here are 4 ways to consider paying for classes + support groups with Birthsmarter.
📑 1. Is Childbirth Education Covered By Insurance?
While we do not accept insurance payments, many insurance companies will/can be reimburse you for childbirth education, newborn care, and / or prenatal lactation classes. We recommend reaching out to your insurance company and inquiring to see what kinds of classes are covered. Insurance companies reference what’s called CPT or ICD codes to streamline reporting. The codes we see accepted most often are:
CPT CODES
- S9436: Childbirth Education/Lamaze Classes, non-physician, per session
- S9442: Birthing Class, non-physician, per session
- S9443: Lactation Class, non-physician, per session
- 98960-98962: Non-Physician provider doing education - all prenatal classes
ICD Codes
- ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code z391.1: Mother and baby lactation education: breastfeeding class and lactation consultation
- ICD-10-CM Diagnosis code z32.2: Childbirth education: childbirth instruction
- ICD-10-CM Diagnosis code z32.3: Prenatal Childcare Instruction: Newborn Care Class
Once you’ve gotten the A-OK from your insurance provider, you can register for class and then submit your receipt and a simple insurance reimbursement form from us!
💳 2. Using HSA / FSA Cards for Childbirth Education Classes
If you have an HSA (health spending account) or FSA (flexible spending account) through your employer, you can use those directly at checkout to pay for Birthsmarter classes. This is especially important at the end of the year as most FSA funds expire December 31st.
🎁 3. Adding Birth Classes to Your Baby Registry
Preparing for a new baby tends to bring family and friends closer together and baby registries can be a wonderful way for your community to shower you with love and support. That said, people are wising up to the fact that when you give birth you need support way more than stuff! Asking for a Gift Certificate to Birthsmarter, or adding our classes and support groups to your registry through a Cash Fund or service like Be Her Village.
％ 4. Sliding Scale Childbirth Education
If you’re not able to utilize an insurance provider or tap into your community for financial support and Birthsmarter classes feel out of reach - we’ve got your back! Birthsmarter’s Alternative Pricing Program ensures that Birthsmarter classes are truly inclusive and accessible to all families! The program is simple: no one will be turned away from classes due to lack of funds.
If you have questions about payment options, or classes, please reach out!
Find live, virtual & on-demand classes and support groups near you: