Pregnant with no health insurance?

[MoonfaceGal21 1]

hi guys, im 3 months pregnant and with my husband working for the both of us right now we cant afford the insurance his job offers. It's too much and he we're on a very tight budget. My interview with uscis is next month. Is there anyway i can get any help? Charity care maybe at a hospital? I know no insurance will cover me because i'm labeled as a pre existing condition. Please help, thanks

[Penguin_ie 5,984]

***** Moving from CR-1 to Living in America forum as not spousal visa nrelated *****

[stronger 43]

You should visit your local health department. They will advise you as to what you should do next. They will never deny a pregnant woman care. They even have doctors there that will check you out and provide you with prenatal vitamins if necessary. Nothing embarassing about looking out for your child.

[ezzie 7]

hi guys, im 3 months pregnant and with my husband working for the both of us right now we cant afford the insurance his job offers. It's too much and he we're on a very tight budget. My interview with uscis is next month. Is there anyway i can get any help? Charity care maybe at a hospital? I know no insurance will cover me because i'm labeled as a pre existing condition. Please help, thanks

If you happen to be in CA, they have Medi-Cal. You will be taken cared of. God bless you and your baby.

[rlogan 2,036]

You have not identified your state, but all of them have public assistance offices that have phone numbers in the state directory that will tell you what the child and you are eligible for if anything. After the child is born it is a citizen, qualifying them at least then if not before birth with prenatal. State programs differ.

Another thing to consider seriously is making money. When we moved to a town for my wife to have hers the hotel clerk was 9 months pregnant. She told us that except for the delivery, she worked full time right up to and then afterwards. She was doing the same thing again. She a few days off. Less than a week.

Just to throw out some numbers let's say you could make $500 a week up to the delivery six months from now - that's $12,000. Even making half that will more than pay for a birthing center, and a full year of working like that pays for a ceasarian. You'd be surprised how easy it is too looking for things to make that you can sell for cash or self-employment work you can do. I've been self employed off and on since I was 14.

Be smart about what services you decide to use too. This is a profit hungry industry like any other. They want the cadillac prenatal, birth, and post natal provision because it lines their pockets with gold, whereas you have to be concerned with feeding, clothing, housing, and caring for their lifelong needs. Is it worth thowing a thousand meals away on a test for something they have less than a 1:1,000,000 chance of having? We fired our first OB/Gyn people over this because they were only too happy to have us do an office visit, then a lab appointment another day, and then another office visit to read us the lab report. They had zero cultural sensitivity, bringing my wife in from the provinces of Philippines and ordering us around like stupid cows. Money, money, money.

We read a lot. Don't just take one opinion on what you and your baby need. Arm yourself with knowledge so you can make wise decisions in your particular situation. Take command because in the end you are the one responsible for your children's welfare and know best what the other important needs are.

[rika60607 215]

If something goes wrong, the bill for delivery may be much higher than $24K. I am not sure though if medical bill can force people into bankruptcy...

Besides, making $500 a week is not so easy without being employed full time, pregnant women are not on the top of the list for hire and not all of them are healthy enough to work full time throughout the pregnancy.

Just to throw out some numbers let's say you could make $500 a week up to the delivery six months from now - that's $12,000. Even making half that will more than pay for a birthing center, and a full year of working like that pays for a ceasarian.

You may be better off going to your home country for the birth, even if no health insurance there, I am sure that "cash" delivery will be much cheaper than in the US. Meanwhile, you need folic acid, prenatal vitamins and an ultrasound... all that should run you less than $500. May be you could try to get help from Planned Parenthood - they supposedly offer prenatal care at fraction of the usual cost.

[Christi85 86]

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

I'll second what others have said, that most States have some sort of organization who helps with situations like yours with little or no charge.

I'm afraid I only know what's in California, since that's where I live. Here they have a program called AIM, which is specifically aimed at pregnant women without health coverage.

But any State you live in must have some public/semi-public/charity organizations to help you through. Do your research and stay positive! I'm sure you'll find help.

Best of luck!!

[C_María 6]

I just had my baby here in California 4 months ago under MediCal and it was a wonderful service. It is available to all pregnant women from the beginning of the pregnancy through two months after birth regardless of your citizenship status. I was also told that if I did not qualify that I was eligible for other state services to cover partial expenses, in addition each hospital also had privately funded "scholarship" opportunities. Being in the U.S. without insurance can be a scary thing but pregnant women DO have coverage. Also look into the many programs available for babies and young children. Just so you know, the coverage your baby is eligible for will not be affected by your immigrant status.

[rika60607 215]

What would cause you to not qualify?

Income? If so, what is the limit on income?

(OP's husband works, so she has income)

I just had my baby here in California 4 months ago under MediCal and it was a wonderful service. It is available to all pregnant women from the beginning of the pregnancy through two months after birth regardless of your citizenship status. I was also told that if I did not qualify that I was eligible for other state services to cover partial expenses, in addition each hospital also had privately funded "scholarship" opportunities. Being in the U.S. without insurance can be a scary thing but pregnant women DO have coverage. Also look into the many programs available for babies and young children. Just so you know, the coverage your baby is eligible for will not be affected by your immigrant status.

[C_María 6]

I'm not completely sure how it's determined, though it is greatly income based there are many factors. Just having a job does not disqualify the family at all. The pregnant woman meets with a case worker and the worker determines the programs that the woman is eligible for. I found this link on this internet for Medi-caid, I think it will clear up many of the questions being asked:

http://www.americanpregnancy.org/planningandpreparing/medicaid.html

"Medicaid is a government sponsored health insurance program for low income families who have no medical insurance or inadequate insurance. All states offer Medicaid or a program similar to Medicaid to help pregnant women receive adequate prenatal and postpartum care."

"In the 'categorically needy' group, this will cover pregnant women whose income level is at or below 133% of the Federal Poverty level. (Check with your Medicaid office to find out what this number is for your state.)

In the 'medically needy' group, this will cover pregnant woman who make too much money to qualify in the 'categorically needy' group."

"...Medicaid has many ways that someone can qualify—and even though income makes up part of the eligibility requirements, it is not solely based on that... people who make a middle range income may qualify if they fit one of the qualifying groups and can fall back on options such as “share of cost” (which works like a deductible before full coverage begins.)"

If you don't qualify for Medi-cade an example of another kind of assistance is AmeriPlan: http://www.americanpregnancy.org/planningandpreparing/affordablehealthcare.html

"AmeriPlan is a discount plan that is currently available in all states except Alaska. AmeriPlan saves people up to 50% and more on their health care services. Benefits include physician, hospital, and ancillary services (i.e., lab work, tests, x-rays). Since AmeriPlan is not insurance, all pre-existing conditions are covered."

Beyond that there are even more options for assistance:

"If you are delivering at a hospital, you can contact the accounting office and talk to someone about setting up a payment plan or ask if they offer a sliding scale. Many hospitals do offer these, but they are not utilized because people do not know what is available to them."

"If you are having an uncomplicated pregnancy you may want to consider giving birth at a birthing center. The estimated cost of a delivery and prenatal care at a birthing center is about $3,000 – $4,000. This is half of what it would be for a delivery at a hospital. Many birth centers also provide sliding scales, payment plans, and accept Medicaid."

I had my baby at a birth center that was in a wing of our local hospital and I was very happy with our care. The main difference was that birth centers do not have an infant trauma unit, I would have had to be transferred if that facility was needed.

Though the U.S. is notorious for our lack of insurance compared to other developed countries I found that coverage for pregnant women is actually adequate! We're no Sweden but we've got the basics. Wishing you the best for your new family!

[AmorFelicidadPaz 0]

You should visit your local health department. They will advise you as to what you should do next. They will never deny a pregnant woman care. They even have doctors there that will check you out and provide you with prenatal vitamins if necessary. Nothing embarassing about looking out for your child.

Best advice to follow!! So true...

[Brother Hesekiel 2,235]

Using Medicaid is an absolute no-no for somebody who was admitted to the US after August 22, 1996 who has not paid at least 40 quarters into SS.

There are quite a few things that one can do, but many of them are outright illegal!

http://library.findl.../19/127949.html

That's why USCIS requires an Affidavit of Support, after all!

Edited July 1, 2011 by Just Bob

[Aztec&Taino 144]

Using Medicaid is an absolute no-no for somebody who was admitted to the US after August 22, 1996 who has not paid at least 40 quarters into SS.

There are quite a few things that one can do, but many of them are outright illegal!

http://library.findl.../19/127949.html

That's why USCIS requires an Affidavit of Support, after all!

How about Emergency Medicaid? Almost ALL Spanish speaking mothers-to-be who deliver at our local hospital are undocumented (illegal aliens) and they have ER Medicaid. I think the OP should definitely go to her local Medicaid Office and apply for this subsidized care. Also, she could go to a low income clinic or her local health department, they would have more information on local resources. Best wishes!

[Dulcinea 1]

Go to the hospital and you will be reffered to a social worker who will help you to find out what help you are qualified for. You will also be given an income schedule and see if you have to pay anything at all.

[rlogan 2,036]

If something goes wrong, the bill for delivery may be much higher than $24K. I am not sure though if medical bill can force people into bankruptcy...

Besides, making $500 a week is not so easy without being employed full time, pregnant women are not on the top of the list for hire and not all of them are healthy enough to work full time throughout the pregnancy.

I don't think we should discourage work, and this kind of thing has to be considered for its impact on immigration politics. We look pretty bad saying hey, if you are a pregnant immigrant, don't even try to find a means of paying for it.

Are you saying that the bill could be high, therefore make yourself incapable of paying even a normal bill? If you can't make $500 a week, then don't try to make something less than that? If all she needs to do is earn enough to pay for the insurance through her husband's work, then that is not going to be $500 a week. More like that per month. But she really needs to work through some numbers in order to make a good decision and we should be encouraging her to work up some solid numbers fitting her circumstances. My point in putting numbers down is to show how easy it is to make calculations so you have solid information to make decisions upon.

I have found it easier for people to find work to do from home or as an independent contractor. I started hustling work at age 12. We don't know her environment and background so we can't just tell her to sew dog booties for cash. If you can sew dog booties, make hats, mittens, and such in Alaska then you are in business.

You may be better off going to your home country for the birth,

I think the gratuitous negative response to this is that you are threatening the life of the mother and child by giving birth in Trinidad/Tobago. But that certainly is not my attitude. This should be given serious consideration, looking at the quality of service and the cost, including transportation. Finding money to pay for that is again something you need to consider doing. Thousands at a minimum.

The logic about money is so elementary here. She is going to have a baby. Money is now an issue, and there are two sides of it: one side is acquiring money and the other side is spending it wisely. When you work on both fronts simultaneously, you can afford a baby.