Where do I begin....


I finally got my EAD cards the other week and this morning I went into the SSA office to finally go get mine and my son's SS cards. They told me I couldnt get it AGAIN. They said my A# was still pending with DHS. WTF??? The lady told me it could take anywhere from a month to 2 months before it is "active". So, with that being my 3rd visit to the SSA office for this, I came home and called DHS about this so called "pending" with our EAD cards. The woman said it is still pending and that I need to make an InfoPass appointment.

Everything is all messed up here. Why do they bother sending the EAD cards if they are still pending? I also found out today that I don't qualify for Medicaid and in order to get on my husbands insurance, it needs to be done by the 30th of this month. I'm so frustrated with everything, especially because I need some kind of insurance because I'm pregnant. I don't know how far along I'am. Maybe 6 weeks, maybe 3 months and I need to see a doctor soon. There is no way that my husband can afford to pay for the doctor visits out of pocket, plus pay close to $30K to have a baby.

The problem with the insurance company is, we got married in Novemeber and we had 90 days to add me and my son to his insurance. Well we didn't know that, so the secretary at his job said she'd add us as being married this March then I could be added to his insurance as of April 1st, but this all needs to be done before the end of the month, or we'll have to wait until October and by then I'll have already had the baby.

So now I'm worried once I go to this InfoPass appointment, they'll say the same thing, that I have to wait. I don't know what to do or where to go. We cannot afford a seperate insurance. What I don't get is how the illegals here can get help with everything, yet someone like me has to fight and wait for things I need.

If anyone has any idea on what I should do, please let me know.

Mary

I don't know what to say.
All I can say is that I'm sorry

Maybe you can go to a local hospital and ask if they have Charity Care. In Seattle, there are programs in place where you will receive free or discounted service if you don't have insurance or have problems paying. The coverage here will cover office visits, lab tests, and meds for 6 months and is renewal. You have to ask and apply for it. You could probably just call the hospital and the operator can direct you to the correct department.

This doesn't answer the immigration aspect of the questions, but would you maybe consider and alternative birth with a midwife? I don't even know if that is cheaper, but it might be worth looking into. And, on the plus side most people I know who have done alternative birthing have LOVED it.

Good Luck. Hopefully you get the cards in time. I'm praying for you

I think I might be a little bit dense, but you can't get on your husband's health care because you don't have an SSN # yet? That's kind of crazy! I wish all insurance companies were the same. My fiance's company will cover me before we're married, without the SSN. I hope that you figure something out. This kind of thing can be way too stressful for you and the baby!

My insurance covered my husband with his A# until he got his SSN. Same thing with the car insurance and our life insurance. You need to really push this issue with the insurance company.

I would ask your husband to have the secretary call the insurance company and ask if they will let you use your passport and EAD application. Perhaps some human contact with them will work, it is worth a shot. I know I didn't have to have my SSN to get on my husbands plan, but like it was said before all companies are different. Best of luck and I hope it all works out.

I think she was posting about two separate problems. One being that she cant get her SSN. The insurance is a completely different problem. My insurance (and I think most) will only allow you to add a new spouse within 30-90 days of the wedding. They didn't add her to his insurance, so now they can't. The secretary is going to lie about their marriage date (I'm not sure how well that will work...they could ask to see documentation if they ever get suspicious and then demand money from you for treatment they provided). Your situation sucks

I agree with the previous post...most cities have at least one hospital that works on a sliding scale, you just have to call around and find out which one it is. Even if you can go with a mid-wife or something, you still want treatment during the pregnancy. Also call your local Planned Parenthood, they are likely to either provide treatment at a low cost or will be able to point you in the direction of someone who will. You could also call the Medicaid office back up and ask them if they know which hospitals/doctors/clinics will provide treatment, but I think you'll have better luck with Planned Parenthood. I hope everything works out for you!

Yes, there are hospitals and clinics that work on sliding scales, but they tend not to advertise that! I'm a Rn stduent and we run a FREE clinic, in fact thats my rotation right now! of course the services we provide are very basic and we only have 1 nurse practitioner, BUT we can refer clients to other low cost resources, which many have no clue that they are available!!

Another tip one can do to save $$$$ is generic drugs Goto walmart/target website and print off thier $4 prescription plans. So if ya goto the dr and he prescribes you something and MANY Drs don think about the $$$$$ of a drug, they just prescribe it,lol ask if their is an acceptable drug on the walmart/target $4 prescription list!! Kmart offers it as well, but I think it's $5

Best of luck

This is horrible, Mary. Go to your congress person. How in the world does the insurance company expect you to meet the 90 day window for adding you when they also require a SSN that you can't get. That's ridiculous.

For the record, my husband's insurance carrier added me to his policy the moment I crossed the border. Not yet married, and no SSN. They said it was because I came in on a K-1 visa and the intent to marry and immigrate is there.

Thanks everyone who answered. See, I didn't know that I needed to be added to my husbands insurance within the 60-90 days of getting married. If I have known that, I would have done it. From what I got from the secretary, my A# would only be good if we added me on paper. If we do the application online, I only need my SSN. She said doing it on paper requires more information the insurance company wants, or something along those lines.

What I don't understand about Medicaid is, I'm here legally. I've obviously been approved for an EAD and AP, which I have both and I'm just waiting for the next step. I'm so frustrated with everything. Especially when there are people in this country illegally, they get everything they need, yet people like me have to fight to get nowhere.

I have my InfoPass appointment for this Monday at 12:15pm. I'm worried that they are just going to say the same thing, that I have to wait. What the hell is the point of giving out the EAD cards when they are still "pending"? I just don't get it. I'm trying not to stress out, but I can't help myself. I checked out the website for the local hospital for my county and they do have a financial assistance program. So as soon as I find out what happens Monday, I might have to go that route. I've already looked into seperate insurance for myself, but we can't afford that right now. If I can't get the assistance with the hospital, I'm going to go to the county health department and see if they can help me. Somewhere someone has to be able to help. I just hope it is sooner than later.

Thank you again everyone for your help. I'll be looking into every resource I can.

Mary

Why don't you qualify for Medicaid? I don't know exactly what they told you, but I know there are a LOT of hoops you have to jump through to qualify and one of them is an extremely low income. For three people I believe your husband would have to make less than about $17,600 a year for you to qualify. That's the poverty line...also, there would be a lot of other things you had to do to qualify because of the affidavit of support (that's my understanding at least, I could be wrong) that your husband signed before you moved here. I have known several single women with two or three kids who made "too much money" to qualify for Medicaid. They were literally told "quit one of your jobs and we can help you." Poo on the US healthcare system. That suddenly reminded me. Have you looked into CHIPs? It's easier to qualify for that and it would cover your son and possibly your baby, it's for children only, so I'm not sure if they would cover you while you're pregnant. However, it's inexpensive and would at least cover your son and it would cover your baby after it's born if you qualify for it. Good luck...I hope it all works out for you!

I had called the Family and Childrens Services in my county to see what documents I would have to bring in order to qualify. I told them I came here on a K-1 Visa, we're married, I have an EAD and AP and just waiting on my SSN. I didn't mention anything about what my husband makes and she told me because I'm not a perminate resident yet and have no green card, that I don't qualify. I swear, companies and government agencies hire people who don't know what they're talking about. I haven't looked into CHIP's. I didn't even know they had that in my state and I'm in Georgia. I know they have WIC, but I doubt I'll be able to get on that. I'll look into CHIP's though, thank you.

There is also a 5 year ban on new immigrants adjusting to LPRs that can also disqualify you for medicaid. But not emergency medicaid.


Chris

What do you mean there is a 5 year ban on new immigrants adjusting to LPR's?

I don't know if this really has to do with the same thing but when I was visiting my husband, before I was a PR and was simply a visitor, I would go to a specific hospital if I got sick because it was in an urban area and they wouldn't change me an arm and a leg. The fee would be so small in comparison to me going to most other hospitals without insurance.