Healthcare Help!

[rickcard71]

I lost my full-time job in April '09, I had at the time and still have a PT job. Since I lost my full-time job, I converted over to my PT job benefits (they are not very good, but something). I am still collecting Unemployment Compensation (for now). So now, we believe (wife & I) that she is pregnant with our first child for both ever. I have to check tomorrow, but I don't believe my PT jobs ins. will cover anything or very little. We have been looking online for insurance....and it all seems very bleak.

Does anyone have any ideas what we can do, suggestions.......anything. We are very worried, if I got a FT job tomorrow, it would probably be considered a pre-exsisting condition. We could have planned a little bit better, but, I did not want to wait considering I'm 38 and she will be 32 in four months. Any advice would be great!

FWIW, we found out if she is 19 or younger in PA and fatherless, she would be nearly fully covered, etc. etc. etc............

So in this country, thus far from our short experience (hopefully we will find out something good) that if you do all the wrong things, no father, no jobs, make very little, pay very little in taxes, you get rewarded with full insurance, if you pay your bills, taxes, etc......you get f****d! Hope it is not totally true.

[einarabelc5]

Originally Posted by rickcard71

I lost my full-time job in April '09, I had at the time and still have a PT job. Since I lost my full-time job, I converted over to my PT job benefits (they are not very good, but something). I am still collecting Unemployment Compensation (for now). So now, we believe (wife & I) that she is pregnant with our first child for both ever. I have to check tomorrow, but I don't believe my PT jobs ins. will cover anything or very little. We have been looking online for insurance....and it all seems very bleak.

Does anyone have any ideas what we can do, suggestions.......anything. We are very worried, if I got a FT job tomorrow, it would probably be considered a pre-exsisting condition. We could have planned a little bit better, but, I did not want to wait considering I'm 38 and she will be 32 in four months. Any advice would be great!

FWIW, we found out if she is 19 or younger in PA and fatherless, she would be nearly fully covered, etc. etc. etc............

So in this country, thus far from our short experience (hopefully we will find out something good) that if you do all the wrong things, no father, no jobs, make very little, pay very little in taxes, you get rewarded with full insurance, if you pay your bills, taxes, etc......you get f****d! Hope it is not totally true.

I also do so my friend but the tendency of the world is always towards Entropy. In any twisted way of socialism. I will ask around tomorrow and see what I can find out.

[jemsite]

Rick,

Healthcare ins doesn't always deny you benefits as pregnancy as an "existing condition" (thanks to HIPPA act but you need to qualify as HIPPA group ... google it) so should you get coverage it will cover whatever the plan normally covers for anyone getting pregnant after coverage began. Some plans have a 6 month "wait period" for coverage to begin, this is not unusual

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you call around some government & state programs that offer discounted childbirth ob/gyn care for uninsured people such as yourselves. This includes university/learning affiliated hospitals allowing Med students to manage your care under the supervision of licensed doctors.

Unfortunately it's very difficult to obtain affordable health-care insurance if you're self-employed or part-time. I know because i pay for healthcare insurance for 2 adults & 2 kids.

This is a major problem which our neglectful politicians have happily ignored for years. ...glen

[jb4674]

What Glen is basically saying Rick is that, unless you have some serious cash influx in the next few days, expect to get screwed with no vaseline.

On the upside, you might be able to apply for medicare given that you only have a part time job.

http://www.medicare.gov/MedicareElig...nguage=English

Jimmy

P.S.: If the economic conditions aren't feasible for you guys, you and your wife might want to consider other options.

[jemsite]

medicaid is possible (medicare is for 65+ or some disabled under 65) but if you're both working you probably won't be eligible. some of this is state-by-state & there are many programs for ob/gyn especially... glen

[smooth55]

Check out your state options, as has been said. Depending on your income levels, PA has something in the form of healthcare for a mother/child/pregnancy. I don't know if CHIP will cover you, but there's a place to start. Just google it and it's the first thing that comes up.

[jaxadam]

Can you do COBRA in PA? I know in Florida, if you lose your job, you can basically continue your same health benefits for up to 18 months with COBRA, and if you qualify for ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act), you pay only 35% out of pocket.

The problem is that you have to do it within 30 days of losing your job, or you will no longer be eligible. It sounds like that may be the case for you if it happened in April and you haven't filed.

I'm wondering what it would cost you do get an insurance policy for you and your wife right now, knowing that she's pregnant. There may be some type of high-deductible HSA that you could look at. It may be somewhat costly monthly, and it has a very high deductible, but the money you contribute to an HSA is tax-deductible. I'm sure you would blow your deductible anyway when she gives birth.

[LonePhantom]

Man I always feels sorry for you guys over the pond when I read about these healthcare threads. It's disgusting to think you don't have universal health care, and that there are enough morons who think having it instantly turns you in to commies.

It's probably cheaper for you to move to Australia and take advantage of our health care than try to sort out stuff there.

When my wife and I had our son we did it through a birthing centre at the public hospital, where you got your own bedroom with queen bed, private bathroom, etc for your labour, and a group of 4 midwives that you got to know over the course of the pregnancy. You knew who was going to deliver your baby, it was done as naturally as possible, none of the stirrups and clinical room crap, and it cost nothing.

Well of course it cost taxes that we pay, but I am more than happy to pay medicare levies now that we are earning a reasonable income. It's all worth it.

[Robstar]

Ok, I just looked for insurance in Texas for my wife as we are both contract workers(no insurance suppiled) and this is what most insurance companies told us.
1. If your wife is pregnant before you are insured it is considered a
pre-existingcondition
not covered period.
2. Some insurance companies will charge you an extra $100 to $200 for what they call
a rider on top of your regular bill for 6 months to a year. You cannot get pregnant
before that period of time. If you do get pregnant after their time requirement they will only cover up to somewhere between $1200 to $3000 of your medical bill.
( a rip-off by any stretch of the imagination)

3. It was strongly suggested a kind insurance sales man that we forget about insurance coverage if you are going to be or are pregnant. He said that in some hospitals you can go in and negotiate pre and post pregnancy care. You can walk in and come up with payment plans and final price in most cases (not including complications).
So maybe you can look in to that . I know i will and if i can finance the pregnancy care than i guess i will have to. Kind of like financing a car but they can't repo the kid if you don't make the payments. Or Can they? LOL
Good luck in your situation we all need it in this crazy world we live in.
Insurance in america is one sided at best.

[Dеmon]

So in this country

USA?

The same situation in my country would mean that either you could do something or nobody could.
Goverment introduces some innovations to care young families, pensioners, but it doesn't work. It is not enough money to feel yourself surely. For tomorrow. I don't speak about weeks, months, years, etc...

So i wish you find a good job to earn money and feel yourself independent. To feel yourself independent of circumstances.

Dim