Financial Information
Beginning June 2022, we will offer the following Managed Sliding Scale in order to provide access for out-of-hospital midwifery care and birth to as many families as we can. Please read the sliding scale guide below to see where you qualify as spaces for the lower tiers are limited.
Please understand that the cost of practicing in Indiana specifically is high due to educational requirements, continuing education, written collaboration with a physician, and liability insurance premiums. This is in addition to regular cost of living increases that impact midwives, sometimes exorbitantly, such as gasoline.
MANAGED SLIDING SCALE FOR MOTHER NURTURED MIDWIFERY
These costs include all routine midwifery services, the birth assistant, and birth kit.
Discounts: Repeat clients qualify for a $250 discount and all clients qualify for a $250 discount if balance is paid in full by 32 weeks. Extended payment plans may be available to you through Med Loan Finance which can allow you to take advantage of discounts and extra time to pay off your balance with little or no interest. The birth fee includes routine prenatal care, care during active labor, a birth assistant, the birth kit, routine immediate postpartum care for mother and normal newborn care, and routine postpartum care for mom and baby up to 6 weeks.
Guide to using the Sliding Scale
PICK MINDFULLY. There are a limited number of slots offered at the middle and lower end of the scale. Please be mindful that if you request care at the lowest end of the scale when you can truthfully afford the higher prices, you are limiting access to those who truly need the gift of financial flexibility. Being honest with yourself and your financial situation when engaging with sliding scale practices grows strong and sustainable communities. It also respects the work of health care providers, like myself, who have families to support and bills to pay. Remember that as a self-employed individual, I do not have access to employer retirement contributions or health insurance. Additionally, when I am paid fairly, I am able to invest more time and resources to lower cost offerings.
TIER 1 The highest dollar cost reflects the true cost of midwifery services. It is the cost that the Midwife would charge all clients in the absence of a sliding scale. If you have access to financial security, own property or have personal savings, you would not traditionally qualify for sliding scale services. If you are able to pay for "wants" and spend little time worrying about securing necessities in your life, you have economic privilege and power in our community. This price is for you.
TIER 2 The middle cost reflects the Midwife’s acknowledgement that paying the full cost would prevent some folks from being able to receive care, but who do not honestly find themselves reflected in either descriptions for the highest cost or the lowest. If you are struggling to conquer debt or build savings or move away from paycheck to paycheck living but have access to steady income and are not spending most of your time thinking about meeting basic needs such as food, shelter, medical care, child care, etc., you belong here. This tier is only available to clients located within 30 minutes of Bloomington.
TIER 3 The lowest cost represents an honest acknowledgment by the Midwife that there are folks whose economic circumstances would prevent them from receiving the midwifery care they want if there was not a deliberate opportunity made for them to access services at a cost that is reflective of their economic realities. If you struggle to maintain access to needs such as health care, housing, food, child care, and are living paycheck-to-paycheck or are in significant debt, you probably belong here and you deserve a community that honors your price as equal to an economic offering as the person who can pay the highest tier. This tier is only available to clients located within 30 minutes of Bloomington.
Extended payment plans for all tiers may be available through Med Loan Finance, visit their website for more information.
*Tier 2&3 above are by necessity, not by choice. For example, if you have access to family money and resources in times of need, work part time by choice, and/or have a relatively high degree of earning power due to level of education (or gender and racial privilege, class background, etc.) but choose not to access that, please look at and consider the non-discounted fee. These tiers are available only to clients within 45 minutes of Bedford.
*A big thank you to Worts and Cunning Apothecary for their work in creating and establishing this fair model of a managed sliding scale. For more information on general sliding scales, visit wortsandcunning.com. Thank you to Amanda Chandler of Momma Bear Midwifery for sharing this sliding scale with us!
Please understand that the cost of practicing in Indiana specifically is high due to educational requirements, continuing education, written collaboration with a physician, and liability insurance premiums. This is in addition to regular cost of living increases that impact midwives, sometimes exorbitantly, such as gasoline.
MANAGED SLIDING SCALE FOR MOTHER NURTURED MIDWIFERY
- Tier 1: $5000- actual value of midwifery services
- Tier 2: $4000 - there is availability to provide Tier 2 cost of services to 4 clients per year
- Tier 3: $3000 - there is availability to provide Tier 3 cost of services to 3 clients per year
These costs include all routine midwifery services, the birth assistant, and birth kit.
Discounts: Repeat clients qualify for a $250 discount and all clients qualify for a $250 discount if balance is paid in full by 32 weeks. Extended payment plans may be available to you through Med Loan Finance which can allow you to take advantage of discounts and extra time to pay off your balance with little or no interest. The birth fee includes routine prenatal care, care during active labor, a birth assistant, the birth kit, routine immediate postpartum care for mother and normal newborn care, and routine postpartum care for mom and baby up to 6 weeks.
Guide to using the Sliding Scale
PICK MINDFULLY. There are a limited number of slots offered at the middle and lower end of the scale. Please be mindful that if you request care at the lowest end of the scale when you can truthfully afford the higher prices, you are limiting access to those who truly need the gift of financial flexibility. Being honest with yourself and your financial situation when engaging with sliding scale practices grows strong and sustainable communities. It also respects the work of health care providers, like myself, who have families to support and bills to pay. Remember that as a self-employed individual, I do not have access to employer retirement contributions or health insurance. Additionally, when I am paid fairly, I am able to invest more time and resources to lower cost offerings.
TIER 1 The highest dollar cost reflects the true cost of midwifery services. It is the cost that the Midwife would charge all clients in the absence of a sliding scale. If you have access to financial security, own property or have personal savings, you would not traditionally qualify for sliding scale services. If you are able to pay for "wants" and spend little time worrying about securing necessities in your life, you have economic privilege and power in our community. This price is for you.
TIER 2 The middle cost reflects the Midwife’s acknowledgement that paying the full cost would prevent some folks from being able to receive care, but who do not honestly find themselves reflected in either descriptions for the highest cost or the lowest. If you are struggling to conquer debt or build savings or move away from paycheck to paycheck living but have access to steady income and are not spending most of your time thinking about meeting basic needs such as food, shelter, medical care, child care, etc., you belong here. This tier is only available to clients located within 30 minutes of Bloomington.
TIER 3 The lowest cost represents an honest acknowledgment by the Midwife that there are folks whose economic circumstances would prevent them from receiving the midwifery care they want if there was not a deliberate opportunity made for them to access services at a cost that is reflective of their economic realities. If you struggle to maintain access to needs such as health care, housing, food, child care, and are living paycheck-to-paycheck or are in significant debt, you probably belong here and you deserve a community that honors your price as equal to an economic offering as the person who can pay the highest tier. This tier is only available to clients located within 30 minutes of Bloomington.
Extended payment plans for all tiers may be available through Med Loan Finance, visit their website for more information.
*Tier 2&3 above are by necessity, not by choice. For example, if you have access to family money and resources in times of need, work part time by choice, and/or have a relatively high degree of earning power due to level of education (or gender and racial privilege, class background, etc.) but choose not to access that, please look at and consider the non-discounted fee. These tiers are available only to clients within 45 minutes of Bedford.
*A big thank you to Worts and Cunning Apothecary for their work in creating and establishing this fair model of a managed sliding scale. For more information on general sliding scales, visit wortsandcunning.com. Thank you to Amanda Chandler of Momma Bear Midwifery for sharing this sliding scale with us!