Maternity
Timing decides everything here, so it is worth reading before you need it.
The six-month waiting period
Maternity is ineligible during the first six months of an individual membership. To be eligible, conception must occur after six months of continuous membership, confirmed by medical records.
If starting a family is anywhere on the horizon, this is the number to plan around.
The employer exception
Memberships enrolled through a company or employer are not subject to the six-month waiting period. If your CoreMed membership comes through your workplace, this does not apply to you.
Memberships that started before 1 April 2025 are also exempt, though conception still has to follow the membership start date.
Where you give birth decides which IUA applies
A home birth or a birthing center birth uses your household's own IUA, and sharing is capped at $9,000. Midwifery care from legally regulated providers is generally eligible, though not every midwifery service is, so ask us before you book.
A hospital birth uses the standard maternity IUA below. So does a birth that started at home or at a center and then changed, because a physician took over care or complications came up.
The standard maternity IUA
It is not the same as your household IUA:
Household IUA $1,250 → maternity IUA $2,500
Household IUA $2,500 → maternity IUA $2,500
Household IUA $5,000 → maternity IUA $5,000
The baby's first day
One in-hospital pediatrician visit is eligible, including routine immunizations, routine lab work and an initial routine hearing test, as long as the care happens before you leave the hospital and the baby is added to your membership within 30 days. After a home or birthing center birth, the same services are eligible within the first two weeks.
A prenatal RSV dose is eligible as well, ordered as part of routine prenatal care by a licensed practitioner.
What is not eligible
Doulas, birthing tubs, placenta encapsulation, circumcision and diagnostic hearing screening.
The newborn is a separate request
Prenatal care, postnatal care and delivery sit under the maternity sharing request. Anything the baby incurs after delivery is a separate sharing request with its own IUA.
Add your newborn to the membership within 30 days of birth. Miss that window and any condition present at birth is treated as a pre-membership medical condition for that child, which is an expensive administrative mistake.
The same six-month deadline
The maternity sharing request has to be submitted within six months of the first date of service, and itemized bills within six months of service.
If a dependent gives birth
A dependent who is 18 or older at the birth moves onto their own household membership along with the baby. A dependent under 18 stays on your membership with the baby until they turn 18, and then both move onto their own.
Tell us before the birth either way and we will get the new membership in place rather than leaving anyone with a gap.
If your delivery is before 1 January 2027
This page describes the 2027 guidelines. The maternity IUA is the same either way, but the home birth route, the first-day items for the baby and the dependent rules are all 2027 changes. If your due date is anywhere near the turn of the year, message us and we will tell you exactly which set applies to you rather than leaving you to guess.
Zion HealthShare is not an insurance company. Neither this publication nor membership in Zion HealthShare are offered by an insurance company. Visit zionhealthshare.org to view your state-specific notice. State-specific notices.
Common questions
When does maternity become eligible?
Conception must be after six months of continuous individual membership. Memberships enrolled through an employer are not subject to that waiting period.
What is the maternity IUA?
$2,500 if your household IUA is $1,250 or $2,500, and $5,000 if your household IUA is $5,000.
Does the maternity request include the baby?
No. Expenses the newborn incurs after delivery are a separate sharing request with its own IUA.
How long do I have to add the baby?
30 days from birth. After that, anything present at birth is treated as a pre-membership medical condition for the child.
Does a home birth use the maternity IUA?
From 1 January 2027, no. A home or birthing center birth uses your household's own IUA, with sharing capped at $9,000. A hospital birth, or one where a physician takes over or complications come up, uses the maternity IUA.
What happens if a dependent gives birth?
From 1 January 2027, a dependent who is 18 or older at the birth moves onto their own household membership with the baby. A dependent under 18 stays on yours with the baby until they turn 18. Tell us before the birth and we will get the new membership in place.