Seahawks21 Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 I may have really stepped in it this time. About two months ago, my wife quit her job at Safeway and starting working for a small company that doesn't offer insurance. We've been shopping around for a plan for her, and were planning to buy one in the next few weeks. As my impeccable timing would have it, she just missed her period and a home pregnancy test came up positive. I'm a relative newbie into really paying attention to health matters and insurance, and there is very little info I can find online. We make a little too much for the government programs. Does anybody have any idea if there is any way to get her insured at this point? I realize this is most likely the absolute worst demographic to pose this question to, but there is a pretty well-rounded group here, so I'm hoping somebody may have a bit of helpful information. TIA for any information y'all may have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazinib1 Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 This is a pretty good article on how to choose an insurance plan I'm no expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I don't think your wife being pregnant will affect the cost of your coverage. Its not like signing up for life insurance after you've been diagnosed with a fatal disease. Oh and congrats on the bun in the oven!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trojanmojo Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 I'm seeing some decent info in this thread. http://www.babycenter.com/400_what-can-i-do-if-im-pregnant-and-dont-have-health-insurance_500752_0.bc Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiegie Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 I'm no expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I don't think your wife being pregnant will affect the cost of your coverage.Alas, I think Taz is dead-wrong here. The following article may help: http://www.insure.com/articles/healthinsurance/pregnancy.html (basically, it may be that the best (only?) option to get decent insurance coverage for your wife is for her (or you) to get her covered under a work group policy.... Any chance of her getting hired back at Safeway?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazinib1 Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Alas, I think Taz is dead-wrong here. Like I said, no expert Hmmmmm...I had no idea it affected the cost of medical insurance ... but again, what do I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clubfoothead Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 I may have really stepped in it this time. About two months ago, my wife quit her job at Safeway and starting working for a small company that doesn't offer insurance. We've been shopping around for a plan for her, and were planning to buy one in the next few weeks. As my impeccable timing would have it, she just missed her period and a home pregnancy test came up positive. I'm a relative newbie into really paying attention to health matters and insurance, and there is very little info I can find online. We make a little too much for the government programs. Does anybody have any idea if there is any way to get her insured at this point? I realize this is most likely the absolute worst demographic to pose this question to, but there is a pretty well-rounded group here, so I'm hoping somebody may have a bit of helpful information. TIA for any information y'all may have. I hope things go better for you than they went for me when this happened. My experience was 4 years ago. We were never able to get the pregnancy covered so that whole thing was out of pocket. We had a cheap policy with someone, I will look it up tonight, that covered her and the baby once the kid was born but nothing before (that become complicated later as well). It was expensive but we had 8 1/2 months to prepare. All we needed was a normal healthy pregnanacy and we would have managed. Alas, we would have no such luck. A little advice --> start working with the hospital now. If you start prepaying now, you should be able to get on a payment plan that will be reasonably comfortable and we didn't have to prepay for the whole thing up front at Presbyterian Dallas. I would also try and get one of them cheap-o insurance policies set up to cover everyone once the baby is born. My daughter was born with a really bad heart defect so the one we had paid her max benefit of like $20,000.00 to the hospital within a week of her being born and then dumped us but that $20,000.00 to the hospital no doubt helped. You should probably refresh yourself with the current laws because that was 4 years ago. Finally, I would find it to be unacceptable on many levels to not once again thank everyone around here for their overwhelming generosity towards my family. I will go to my grave convinced the only reason that little girl survived was because there was a team of cardiologists in the delivery room waiting for her. They were there because you all gave me the $2,000.00 for the amneo that allowed everyone to be prepared for the birth. I will be eternally grateful and forever in debt. Once again, thank you for saving her life. She will still need a 5th open heart surgery in the next few years but she started her first gymnastics lessons about two weeks ago. As we approach the fantasy football draft season, a reminder that MSHB and MSHB II could probably use an owner or two. You can check with me or rajn or a host of others for teh details there. Seahawks, if there is anything I can do to help, let me know. It would be my priviledge to help if there is something I can do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt770 Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 I'm seeing some decent info in this thread. http://www.babycente...nce_500752_0.bc Good luck! I just found out that I'm 11 weeks pregnant. This was very unexpected. I'm unemployed and don't have health insurance. My boyfriend has a good job, and I could be insured through his employer if we got married -- but he doesn't want to get married just because of the baby. (We have a few friends who've done this and their marriages haven't lasted.) How can I get through pregnancy without insurance? Is there anything I can do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuke'em ttg Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 my guess is a zebra didr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEC=UGA Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 I'm not much for being underhanded, but... You get her some insurance TODAY.... DO NOT GO TO THE DOC until the policy is in force. It will be touchy to see if the inusrance co will count back and determine the ACTUAL on set of pregnancy and the dates being so close, well, you may have to try and fight it out. I would even go so far as to get the insurance now and not go to the OB for a couple weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuke'em ttg Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 how accurate are those tests? is she under alot of stress?Pocs?is her calandar rock solid or does it waver?are her breasts tender? is her azs nevermind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clubfoothead Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 how accurate are those tests? is she under alot of stress?Pocs?is her calandar rock solid or does it waver?are her breasts tender? is her azs nevermind He will be back in about 3 minutes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuke'em ttg Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 He will be back in about 3 minutes you can tell he cares Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt770 Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Just plan a trip to Canada or Cuba when she's almost due. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt770 Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 how accurate are those tests? is she under alot of stress?Pocs?is her calandar rock solid or does it waver?are her breasts tender? is her azs nevermind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clubfoothead Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 you can tell he cares That was 4 minutes. Congrats, my wife would consider you an upgrade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big John Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Just plan a trip to Canada or Cuba when she's almost due. Or Philippines Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double Agent Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 I'm not much for being underhanded, but... You get her some insurance TODAY.... DO NOT GO TO THE DOC until the policy is in force. It will be touchy to see if the inusrance co will count back and determine the ACTUAL on set of pregnancy and the dates being so close, well, you may have to try and fight it out. I would even go so far as to get the insurance now and not go to the OB for a couple weeks. They will do the math. And most individual health insurance plans do not cover maternity. And even if they did this would be a preexisting condition and the coverage would be denied. I'm afraid your only options are for her to find a job with a group plan or just start saving your money. I'm sure you can make payments to both the doctor and the hospital over time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikesVikes Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Pregnancy can't be considered as a pre-existing condition anymore, but it is likely that you will not be accepted into a new individual health insurance plan. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_being_pregnant_considered_a_pre-existing_condition_when_changing_insurance Check with your previous employment to see if you can keep your old insurance under COBRA. You pay the premiums and they keep you in the plan. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080726082719AAKzYbM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiegie Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 how accurate are those tests? I'm pretty sure they are unlikely to come up with a false positive (meaning that if the test says she is pregnant, she almost certainly is) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double Agent Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 (edited) Pregnancy can't be considered as a pre-existing condition anymore, but it is likely that you will not be accepted into a new individual health insurance plan. http://wiki.answers....nging_insurance Check with your previous employment to see if you can keep your old insurance under COBRA. You pay the premiums and they keep you in the plan. http://answers.yahoo...26082719AAKzYbM I think you have to notify your employer within 30 days of termination or resignation if you plan to go on COBRA. ETA: Still check with her previous employer because there might be an exception. It's worth a shot. Edited June 13, 2012 by Double Agent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt770 Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Get a midwife, squeeze the baby out the old-fashioned way, as folks have done for millennia. Give her whiskey and a washcloth to bite down on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikesVikes Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 (edited) The COBRA laws could vary by state I think. Looking at some COBRA forms now. Employers are required to provide written notice of continuation rights at the time of a qualified event. You have 60 days from the dated of the qualified event or the date coverage ended due to the event, whichever is later, to complete and return the form. So if you left employment in the middle of the month and coverage ended at the end of the month, 60 days from the end of the month to get the papers filled out. You could also pick and choose which person, perhaps only the pregnant wife, to continue on with the coverage. Edited June 13, 2012 by MikesVikes 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljbrun Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 (edited) I may have really stepped in it this time. About two months ago, my wife quit her job at Safeway and starting working for a small company that doesn't offer insurance. .. http://www.dol.gov/e...braemployee.pdf Looks like you have 60 days from the time you get the election notice or the date she lost coverage. She should also be able to revoke her waiver of coverage, if that's what she did, if she's still within the election period. edit: Sorry for the repeated info. I'm a slow typer. Edited June 13, 2012 by ljbrun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Square Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Our system is so stupid. Good luck Seahawk. I've got no experience with this area, but hopefully something will work out. I have heard of a lot of people without insurance paying a very small portion of the actual "bill" that a hospital sends you (most of the numbers are inflated to ridiculous levels that nobody actually pays). I've also heard people talk about paying the bill before they left the hospital and getting a better discount. Good luck and congrats on the kiddo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Footballjoe Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 I may have really stepped in it this time. About two months ago, my wife quit her job at Safeway and starting working for a small company that doesn't offer insurance. We've been shopping around for a plan for her, and were planning to buy one in the next few weeks. As my impeccable timing would have it, she just missed her period and a home pregnancy test came up positive. I'm a relative newbie into really paying attention to health matters and insurance, and there is very little info I can find online. We make a little too much for the government programs. Does anybody have any idea if there is any way to get her insured at this point? I realize this is most likely the absolute worst demographic to pose this question to, but there is a pretty well-rounded group here, so I'm hoping somebody may have a bit of helpful information. TIA for any information y'all may have. What if she lost her job? Would you then qualify for benefits? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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