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We’re here to help ease your concerns, answer your questions, and make sure you get the care and support you need throughout your pregnancy and after delivery.
Pregnancy is one of the 10 essential health benefits under the Affordable Care Act. This means that there are no eligibility waiting periods for pregnancy coverage and pregnancy cannot be considered a preexisting condition. Healthcare coverage varies from plan to plan, so be sure to check with Premera customer service or your human resources representative about your plan's specific coverage.
Get support throughout your pregnancy, whether it’s your first baby or you’re an experienced pro. The maternity program includes an interactive app with helpful information for every step of your pregnancy. Whenever you have a question, use Wellframe to send a secure in-app message to a personal health support clinician at Premera. You can also get helpful reminders for appointments and medications. This program features nine months of prenatal content and six weeks of postpartum content for expecting and recent mothers.
The Wellframe app is not available on all plans. Please check with your human resources representative about your plan's specific coverage.
To get started, download the free Wellframe app
You may be eligible for some extra support if you:
Our maternity specialists are licensed clinicians who know your health plan and can answer pregnancy questions.
Contact a maternity specialist at 855-756-0797.
For helpful information about pregnancy and childbirth, you have two online resources from Premera:
If you’ve had a positive pregnancy test, your doctor will probably recommend a prenatal vitamin. Prenatal vitamins contain important ingredients like folic acid, which helps prevent serious birth defects of the spinal cord and brain. Premera pharmacy benefits can help pay for this. A written prescription from your provider is required.
The common prenatal schedule is to see your doctor or midwife every 4 weeks until you are 28 weeks pregnant, then every 2-3 weeks until week 36. After that, expect to see your doctor every week until the baby is born.
Review your covered preventive services, and screenings
You have many choices about how and where to have your baby and who is present. It can be a deeply personal decision. Premera plans cover delivery at hospitals and birthing centers, home births, and post-delivery care as determined necessary. Women usually stay in the hospital 48 hours for vaginal birth and 96 hours for a caesarean section (C-section) birth. However, if there are any medical issues, a longer hospital stay might be needed.
You have several options for your pregnancy care before birth and after. For your health plan to cover a professional's fees, they must be licensed.
Doulas and their services are not covered because doulas are not licensed healthcare providers. Midwife services are covered when the midwife is licensed.
After delivery, you’ll be scheduled for a follow-up visit with your provider. This usually takes place four to six weeks after, but in some cases earlier. You should follow after-care instructions until your appointment.
Before your appointment, if you experience signs of a common condition called postpartum depression, which is different than the “baby blues”, call your healthcare provider sooner.
For help with feeding your baby, lactation services are often provided during your hospital stay and can be continued through your baby’s healthcare provider or your maternity care provider. A lactation counselor is covered independent of a clinic or hospital, only if they are a licensed provider.
Breast pumps are covered under your health plan. We have provided a list below of vendors that you can order a breast pump from online. For a complete list, call us at the number on the back of your Premera ID card. Or, you can purchase a breast pump from any retailer up to the allowable amount and submit a claim for reimbursement.
A freestanding birth center is a health care facility that provides services during pregnancy, labor, delivery, and the postpartum period. Freestanding birth centers are not connected to or affiliated with hospitals. They offer a natural and family-centered approach to childbirth for healthy, low-risk pregnancies and births.
It’s important to consult with your provider first to discuss whether a birth center is a good option for you.
Environment: A full-service medical facility for low- and high-risk pregnancies.
Staff: Led by doctors (typically OB-GYNs) with specialists and nurses to assist. Some hospitals offer doulas and midwives as well.
Approach to care: Manages medical risks and provides immediate access to equipment and emergency care.
Resources: Immediate access to emergency care, including neonatal intensive care units (NICU) and operating rooms. Comprehensive pain management options such as epidurals and IV medications.
Cost and coverage*: More expensive and covered by most health plans.
Environment: A home-like, intimate setting exclusively for low-risk pregnancies.
Staff: Led primarily by certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) and doulas.
Approach to care: Supports the natural birthing process with minimal intervention.
Resources: No on-site surgical care, but emergency transfers to a nearby hospital can be arranged if needed. Limited pain management options (depending on the facility), primarily through natural techniques such as hydrotherapy, massage, and body movement.
Cost and coverage*: Less expensive and covered by most health plans.
*Exact costs and coverage will vary depending on your plan. Review your benefit details by signing in to your premera.com account. If you have any questions, call customer service at the number listed on the back of your member ID card.
Every woman deserves to have a healthy pregnancy. Some could use extra support along the way. If you have one or more of the five signs, reach out to one of our maternity specialists.
Our maternity specialists are licensed clinicians who know your health plan and can answer pregnancy questions.
Contact a maternity specialist at 855-756-0797, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Wellframe is an independent company that provides digital support services on behalf of Premera Blue Cross. Wellframe is not available on all plans. Check with your human resources representative about your plan’s coverage.
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