K1 pregnant wife, no health insurance DESESPERATE! Help

[Matrix56 0]

I'm not counting with Obamacare at all! I don't want to apply for welfare/ wic etc etc I just need a extra help with my wife prenatal care. I heard that the Jackson Hospital you can make some arragements according to my income and give me a good deal for my wife prenatal and postnatal care. My income is over the poverty line but right now I'm having some difficulties due to our k1 journey/wedding/AoS/new house. Honestly, this pregnancy took us completely out of guard :/

[Matrix56 0]

I agree...nobody knows how it works and honestly I can't care less...I think my case has nothing to do with Obamacare. And even if I could count on it, by the time Obamacare is ready, my wife is about to give birth

[moroccogirlny 100]

You can apply for emergency Medicaid for the pregnancy. Some hospitals also have a sliding scale fee based on your income.

[amykathleen2005 441]

I'm not counting with Obamacare at all! I don't want to apply for welfare/ wic etc etc I just need a extra help with my wife prenatal care. I heard that the Jackson Hospital you can make some arragements according to my income and give me a good deal for my wife prenatal and postnatal care. My income is over the poverty line but right now I'm having some difficulties due to our k1 journey/wedding/AoS/new house. Honestly, this pregnancy took us completely out of guard :/

They will go by your income. But as you said, if you could pay for a visa, wedding and new house then presumably you would on paper have enough for a new baby. Having said that, I did a Google search and found this ( I assume this is the Jackson you are referring to):

http://www.jacksonhealth.org/patients-financial-assistance.asp

[jalvarez320 8]

Hi guys! I've been visiting this website but this is my first time posting. Hope you can help me. My now wife came on a k1 visa back on December 2012, got married. In april we adjust her status, she already have her EAD/AP, only waiting for her GC. 2 weeks ago we found out she is 4 weeks pregnant! Even when we didn't plan it we are super happy! But I'm worry cause she doesn't have health insurance and even if I can buy her one now, noone wants to cover my wife's pregnancy expenses. We moved to florida 3 weeks ago and taking her to a private OB/GYN is $250, plus her prenatal vitamins and other test and blood works, is just too much money!! I read that I cannot apply for medical/financial aid for her cause I signed an I864, but I made a few calls and a lady told me I can apply for her madicaid cause it has nothing to do with her immigrations status (she told me something that I'm not asking for federal help but statal aid). Somebody please clear this point to me cause I'm pretty confuse! Some advice please! I'm desesperate!

no pregnant women is denied health insurance nor medical attention. apply to medicaid and take her to a clinic. First comes her health and the baby...

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

https://www.healthcare.gov/

[Brian1967## 119]

OP do what you need to do take care of the family, god bless your new happiness and I wish you the best.

[newacct 688]

Hi guys! I've been visiting this website but this is my first time posting. Hope you can help me. My now wife came on a k1 visa back on December 2012, got married. In april we adjust her status, she already have her EAD/AP, only waiting for her GC. 2 weeks ago we found out she is 4 weeks pregnant! Even when we didn't plan it we are super happy! But I'm worry cause she doesn't have health insurance and even if I can buy her one now, noone wants to cover my wife's pregnancy expenses. We moved to florida 3 weeks ago and taking her to a private OB/GYN is $250, plus her prenatal vitamins and other test and blood works, is just too much money!! I read that I cannot apply for medical/financial aid for her cause I signed an I864, but I made a few calls and a lady told me I can apply for her madicaid cause it has nothing to do with her immigrations status (she told me something that I'm not asking for federal help but statal aid). Somebody please clear this point to me cause I'm pretty confuse! Some advice please! I'm desesperate!

1. The I-864 only takes effect when she becomes a permanent resident. So until she gets her GC, you don't need to worry about the I-864. (How close is she to getting GC?)

2. The I-864 does not prevent her from applying for Medicaid, if she is eligible under the rules of that state. (She did not sign the I-864; she has no obligations.) However, the I-864 means that you (the sponsor) may be liable for the costs and the government can sue you (as well as any joint sponsors) to recover the costs.

Edited August 7, 2013 by newacct

[newacct 688]

yes I can but they dont cover my wife pregnancy, cause is a "preexistance condition". In order to cover her pregnancy expenses I should added her at least 8 month before her pregnancy

Pregnancy cannot be considered a pre-existing condition for employer plans. You should look into it:

http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq_consumer_hipaa.html

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Pregnancy cannot be considered a pre-existing condition for employer plans. You should look into it:

http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq_consumer_hipaa.html

The way they get around this is having "waiting periods". So while it IS covered technically, you're not past the waiting period so you can't have access to it :S

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OP - State aid is not means-tested benefit. Means-tested benefits are what you MAY end up having to repay to the government if you use them. Some state programs (which you should look into) won't affect the I-864. That said, your other issue may be that you earn too much. We also "earn too much" but we still have debt.. it just isn't taken into consideration when applying for benefits.

[himher 634]

yes I can but they dont cover my wife pregnancy, cause is a "preexistance condition". In order to cover her pregnancy expenses I should added her at least 8 month before her pregnancy

Not possible. Pregnancy as pre-existing condition has been excluded for years and years.

Are there illnesses or injuries that cannot be subject to a preexisting condition exclusion?

Yes, as follows:

• Pregnancy, even if the woman had no prior coverage before enrolling in her current employer's plan.
• Conditions present in a newborn or a child under 18 who is adopted or placed for adoption (even if the adoption is not yet final), as long as the child is enrolled in health coverage within 30 days of birth, adoption, or placement for adoption. In addition, the child must not have a subsequent, significant break in coverage (defined as 63 days). For instance, a significant break might occur if a parent lost his job and health coverage for himself and his family shortly after a child’s birth. This break will be discussed below.
• Genetic information. For example, if a woman is found to have a gene indicating she is at a higher risk for breast cancer, she cannot be denied coverage if there is no diagnosis of the disease.

The way they get around this is having "waiting periods". So while it IS covered technically, you're not past the waiting period so you can't have access to it :S

----

OP - State aid is not means-tested benefit. Means-tested benefits are what you MAY end up having to repay to the government if you use them. Some state programs (which you should look into) won't affect the I-864. That said, your other issue may be that you earn too much. We also "earn too much" but we still have debt.. it just isn't taken into consideration when applying for benefits.

If he is already enrolled in the health plan and they offer spouse coverage there is no, none, zero possible way that they can exclude his spouse due to pregnancy

Edited August 7, 2013 by himher

[Andrea&Henry 311]

Not possible. Pregnancy as pre-existing condition has been excluded for years and years.

Are there illnesses or injuries that cannot be subject to a preexisting condition exclusion?

Yes, as follows:

• Pregnancy, even if the woman had no prior coverage before enrolling in her current employer's plan.
• Conditions present in a newborn or a child under 18 who is adopted or placed for adoption (even if the adoption is not yet final), as long as the child is enrolled in health coverage within 30 days of birth, adoption, or placement for adoption. In addition, the child must not have a subsequent, significant break in coverage (defined as 63 days). For instance, a significant break might occur if a parent lost his job and health coverage for himself and his family shortly after a child’s birth. This break will be discussed below.
• Genetic information. For example, if a woman is found to have a gene indicating she is at a higher risk for breast cancer, she cannot be denied coverage if there is no diagnosis of the disease.

If he is already enrolled in the health plan and they offer spouse coverage there is no, none, zero possible way that they can exclude his spouse due to pregnancy

In my case, I'm 4 month pregnant and my husband added as soon as we got married, but HUMANA made it very very clear that if I wanted them to cover my pregnancy expenses I need to respect the period wait, 6 month. If I got pregnant before that time, they can only paid for my delivery. And a friend of mine is dealing with a situation like the OP is going through and none of the health insurance she had talk to, wants to cover her pregnancy. ALL of the them has a period wait. Thank God our baby was completely planned, so we wait more than a year to get pregnant, saved enough money, and have everything prepared to received our child

Edited August 7, 2013 by Andrea&Henry

[The Mean Lady 604]

OP, if you are due in Feb, then wife is more than 4weeks pregnant, FYI.

[Sveta & Ron 23]

sveta due date is first week feburary and I also found no insurance pplans that would accept her pregnancy. however I found a ob/gyn office that had a ob plan that included everything but hospital fee ( all meds, office visits, lab even if need see an outside doctor ) for 3800 flat and the only hospital the office uses told us the hospital fee was 3-4k

[Morningmist 76]

yes I can but they dont cover my wife pregnancy, cause is a "preexistance condition". In order to cover her pregnancy expenses I should added her at least 8 month before her pregnancy

Really? usually when it is employer group plans, pregnancy cannot be seen as a pre-existing condition and hence coverage cannot be denied. I thought it was against federal law from my understanding. Read the handbook or whatever from the health insurance company and read it carefully. There are exceptions. I'm pregnant and also on my husbands health insurance plan and I went and read about it and other stuff. That's what almost all plans said. Both my company and his. We went with his because I will be on FMLA and I wasn't sure if I would still have my plan then.

http://www.insure.com/articles/healthinsurancefaq/pregnancy-pre-existing-condition-health-plan.html