BIRTH OPTIONS
Out of Hospital Birth Transfer Options
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, many birthing families are looking into Out Of Hospital birthing options to protect themselves and their loved ones. The Birthing Circle has reached out to local midwives to put together a comprehensive resource list of home birth and birthing center options in the greater Frederick County, MD, DC, and VA area. Please reach out to thebirthingcircle@gmail.com if you would like be added to this resource list.
Check out our recorded Zoom meeting from our March 23 Home Birth midwife virtual Q&A. Thank you to Aglow Midwifery, Loudoun Homebirth & Healthcare, Red House Birth Care, Riverside Midwifery, and Shifrah’s Sister’s Holistic Birth Care for chatting with us about home birth care and the changes they are making to keep birthing people safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Out of hospital birth includes care by a licensed midwife in the home or at an accredited birth center. A birthing person that would be eligible for an out of hospital birth includes someone with a low risk pregnancy. For information regarding out of hospital birth, we encourage checking out this resource: Homebirth: An annotated Guide To the Literature.
Aglow Midwifery
Brittany Coffman, CPM
443-280-3177
Midwifebrittanycoffman@gmail.com
Are late transfers accepted? Yes
What information do you need from clients for a transfer? Please contact directly to discuss.
Service Area? Within 1-hour of Frederick, MD
Cost? Contact directly for costs. Payment typically due at 36-weeks, however this can be handled on a case by case basis
Do you require a doula? Highly encouraged but not required
Supplies needed? HB kit purchased from Precious Arrows and if needed Brittney can help piece a kit together for you
LGBTQ affirming? Yes
Deanna Kopf, CPM
410-596-2032
birthwisemidwives@gmail.com
Are late transfers accepted? Yes
What information do you need from clients for a transfer? Need a copy of records from previous provider
Service Area? Service area within an hour of Baltimore
Cost? $4200 (discount given if paid early. Payment plans available)
Do you require a doula? Doula not required
Supplies needed? kit purchased from Precious Arrows
LGBTQ affirming? Yes
Katrina Nakao, CPM, LDEM
Phone 202-503-9680
Fax 202-688-5587
Are late transfers accepted? Yes, I am accepting late transfers as long as we have at least one intake appointment and as long as we are a good fit in other ways.
What information do you need from clients for a transfer? I need a copy of their labs, ultrasounds, and all other records from their previous provider.
Service Area? Within an hour of Silver Spring. This includes parts or all of the following counties: Montgomery, Prince George’s, Anne Arundel, Howard, Baltimore, Frederick, Carroll. I also serve the District of Columbia.
Cost? $4500. Discount given if paid early. Payment plans available.
Do you require a doula? I do not require a doula but strongly suggest a doula for all clients, particularly if this is a first time birth or a first time natural birth.
Supplies needed: Client gathers their own supplies such as towels, garbage bags, etc and is responsible for a birth kit from precious arrows which costs about $40.
LGBTQ affirming? Yes
Kim Pekin, CPM
240.422.3889
kim@premierbirth.com
Are late transfers accepted? Yes. We will accept anyone who has had a low risk pregnancy and has records, regardless of how late they are in pregnancy. We require at least one visit with us prior to their birth. We can do consultations via Zoom, if needed.
What information do you need from clients for a transfer? We need a copy of all of their labs, ultrasounds, and their prenatal flow sheet. For VBAC, we also need a copy of their operative report, which they can obtain from the hospital where they had their cesarean.
Service Area? For birth center clients, there are no geographical restrictions, however for their postpartum home visit, we will only see people at home who live in Virginia within 1 hour of each of our birth centers. For home births, we serve families in Virginia within one hour of Chantilly or Winchester.
Cost and Insurance (if applicable)? We are in-network with most Anthem BCBS and United Healthcare plans, including the Medicaid plans such as Anthem Healthkeepers (Virginia), United Community Plan, Virginia Premier, Magellan, and Optima. We are Virginia Medicaid providers. We are also have contracted rates with MultiPlan, so if their insurance card has a MultiPlan logo, we would be in-network for them. We would require them to do a verification of benefits if they are billing insurance, and there are instructions for this process at www.premierbirth.com/insurance. In addition to any applicable copayment and deductible they are responsible for, we require $1500 for non-covered expenses, which includes the birth assistant and home/birth center services. If someone is out of network, is self-pay, or has a high deductible plan, our fee is $4500. Nobody pays more than $4500 regardless of their insurance coverage. Payment is due no later than 36 weeks. However, if someone comes into care after 36 weeks, our fee is due in full at their initial visit. If they are past 36 weeks and have not completed their verification of benefits prior to their initial prenatal visit, they need to be prepared to pay a $4500 deposit at their initial visit. We will refund any excess deposit once their insurance claims have processed.
Do you require a doula? No, but we love doulas!
Supplies needed? For home birth, they’ll need a birth kit. We have one they can purchase at https://www.inhishands.com/premier-birth-center-custom-birth-kit/. We do have a limited supply of birth kits on hand that they can purchase from us, but I’m not sure how long we’ll have any in stock. If they are planning a birth center birth, they do not need to provide any supplies.
LGBTQ affirming? Yes
Amy E. Miller, CPM
240.643.8768
redhousebirthcare@gmail.com
Are late transfers accepted? Yes. With at least one home visit verifying that birth supplies are in order and emergency transfer plan is established
What information do you need from clients for a transfer? Transfer of previous labs/records
Service Area? 65 miles of Hagerstown, MD in PA, VA, MD and WV
Cost? Insurance may be run through my third party biller. $4000 total fee with optional $300 birth pool rental (if available) and $250 placenta encapsulation. Paymentof $500 minimum due at beginning of service, $500 due before before start of labor. The remainder may be paid through an agreed automatic payment plan to be completed within one year after birth (using the payment plan adds a 3.5% fee)
Do you require a doula? No
Supplies needed? Minimal list provided by family -most things are household items you already have-the rest is provided by me
LGBTQ affirming? Yes
Nannette Jenkins CNM, Shawna DeWitt CPM, Grace Mueller CPM, Elanna Posner CNM, and Chris Bontrager CNM, Jen Sincevich, office manager
240-341-4974
riversidemidwifery@gmail.com
Are late transfers accepted? Yes we are accepting late transfers (>32 weeks).
What information do you need from clients for a transfer? We need clients to have their full prenatal record (prenatal visits, labwork, ultrasounds) in hand for consult or first appointment. We will need to have at least one office appointment for intake and to give supply kit and birth pools. Prenatals after 36 weeks are home visits.
Service Area? 1 hour/35ish miles from office location in Buckeystown MD, attending in MD, WV, VA, and PA
Cost? Global fee (prenatal, birth, postpartum, newborn, supply kit) is $5000. There is a $250 discount for late entry to care with full records. There is an additional $250 discount for paying in full at initial visit. Women on Medicaid are eligible to apply for a total $1000 discount with one scholarship available per month.
Fees cover having two birth attendants, either 2 midwives or a midwife and birth assistant.
A deposit of $500 required at first visit. See above for discounts for paying in full at first visit. Monthly payment plan to be written into service contract. All insurance billing is routed through SLB-Billing.com and they need to get a Verification of Benefits done with SLB prior to birth in order to file insurance claims for reimbursement .
Do you require a doula? We are requiring a doula for late transfer to care, especially for primips/first time unmedicated birth.
Supplies needed? All medical supplies included in fees. A list is provided for household items to collect.
LGBTQ affirming? yes (intake forms not verified by TBC)
Sam Sewell, LM, CPM
Sam@sagemidwifery.com
703.662.3128
Are late transfers accepted? Accepting late transfers with due dates up to May 31st
What information do you need from me clients for a transfer? Estimated due date, originally planned place of birth, number of pregnancy and live birth, any other nuances like VBAC, AMA (not that it will risk anyone out of homebirth but it is important info.) Should they choose to hire me I will need prenatal records, any ultrasound reports, labs (particularly for VBAC)
Service Area? Virginia and DC
Cost? Discounted cost is $3,000 with half due upon signing the contract. I work with SLB Billing to get client insurance to cover part of the cost. I am not in-network with any insurance companies.
Do you require a doula? I do not require a doula but I STRONGLY suggest one for first time birth and primary VBACs.
Supplies needed? baby blankets, bowl, heating pad. There are others if they can get their hands on a birth kit which is $40, but not totally necessary.
LGBTQ affirming? Yes
Shifrah’s Sisters Holistic Birth Services
Elizabeth Reiner, CPM, LDEM, LM
Please text me at 202-446-4400 or complete form on my website to initiate our conversation
Are late transfers accepted? I️ am accepting late transfers regardless of due date, as long as we’re a good fit in all other ways.
What information do you need from clients for a transfer? Phone conversation regarding health/birth history, childbirth education/preparation and Previous records
Service Area? Within 60-miles of Frederick, MD (includes MD, VA, DC, WV, PA)
Cost? $4900 (including birth assistant fee (required) and postpartum steaming package (optional)). $500 reduction for transfers after 32 weeks. Payment plans are available to all. Sliding scale is available on an individual basis. Typically payment is due in full by 36 weeks. Extended payment plans are available.
Additional fee reductions are now available to help make home birth more affordable for those who wish to transfer care during this uncertain time of COVID-19.
I am not in-network with any insurance companies. Out-of-network reimbursement may be available depending on your policy. I️ have a wonderful insurance expert that you can work with to answer any insurance questions and file your claim.
Do you require a doula? Doulas are welcome and not required.
Supplies needed? Supplies are usually gathered by the client. I️ have ordered extra birth kits for late transfers. Additional supplies such as towels, receiving blankets, cleaning supplies, etc. must be provided by client.
LGBTQ affirming? Yes