Pregnancy at In-Network Hospital, But Risk of Out-Of-Network Doctor? [NY]

NY State Marketplace/Exchange Plan. I am planning to give birth this winter. My local hospital is 2min away from home and their facility is accepted in-network with my insurance. Unfortunately, that hospital said that despite being an in-network facility, they cannot guarantee that the delivering doctor/OBGYN would be in-network, and there is a risk that I would be billed separately by that doctor/out-of-network provider.

Does NY's surprise billing protect against this? Would they send the bill to my insurance and would it be covered in-network? Or, would I be charged tens of thousands of dollars if I don't make the potentially dangerous travel to the other hospital?

The only alternative is a hospital an hour away, where I would have to drive through a potential snow storm through backroads while in labor. They confirmed they have in-network OBGYNs delivering there.

In the hypothetical that there's a snow storm and I don't want to risk my life driving an hour+ through windy roads, would I likely get a huge out-of-network bill from the local hospital's delivering doctor, or would that be considered a "surprise bill"?

Ideally the weather is fine and I can use the in-network doctors at the hospital an hour away, but if I have no choice but to stay local, what are the repercussions?

Just want to know if it's worth the risk driving through a snowstorm while in labor. Thanks.

submitted by /u/taway3949494
[comments]