Pregnant women in the US are reporting being asked to pay upfront fees for maternity care earlier than expected, causing stress and financial pressure. This practice, which is legal but deemed unethical by patient advocacy groups, is typically done to ensure medical providers are compensated for their services. With the high cost of maternity care, providers are adopting this approach to manage billing. While the Affordable Care Act requires insurers to cover some prenatal services, patients may still be asked to prepay. Some women have experienced challenges in getting refunds or switching providers due to prepayment requirements.
Source link