It appears that for Principal Health Care of Iowa Inc., financial concerns weigh in more heavily than the health and well-being of new mothers.

Letters were sent by Principal to the doctors of Iowa describing the changes in postnatal care that Principal would offer with their new insurance policy. Only two days of hospital stay following Caesarean-section deliveries will be covered under the new guidelines.

Two days. In other words, 48 hours to recover from a major surgery before being shipped off to a residential area where the only doctor around is the one teeing off at the local golf course.

According to Principal, not only is this happening in Iowa, the change is consistent with “good medical practice.” Good practice usually involves being better safe than sorry, but not in this case.

Not only are the mothers prematurely sent home, the final evaluation is biased. The nurse who decides whether the mother is able to return home is not an employee of the county hospital. The nurse in question receives her paycheck from a company called Principal Health Care Inc.