4 months pregnant out of the U.S and waiting for my K-3 or I-130 to be approved!

[*Snowdrop* 603]

Where did you get those figures from? That sounds like total cost for pre and post care. 2012 statics puts the average for natural birth at $10,000 with the upper 5% paying $18,000. For C-section average was $15,000 average and the upper 5% was $28,000.

I have a PPO plan with United Health Care through my employer. I added the wife to my company medical insurance once I received the marriage certificate sending a scanned copy. Had 90 days to it as it's considered a life changing event. Immigration status was completely irrelevant, they could careless where your spouse was from as long as you had a marriage certificate. No I couldn't use my coverage overseas but I could pay cash or credit and make a foreign claim reimbursement by just sending them the original bills with completed request form. The important one was the itemized bill from the hospital. I just told the hospital staff that I was going to submit for reimbursement and they gave me exactly what I needed; doesn't even need to be translated. I didn't even need the birth certificate as this was a claim for the mother.

I added my son to my medical only using scanned copy of the hospital certificate of live birth. That easy.

My wife's prenatal costs were about $400. They only did one check up every two months for the first 6 then once every month after that with the last check a week before delivery. Postnatal care has been $100 bucks for c-section; it's only been one check up one month after the c-section. Then one more check after three months and then they don't ask to see you again.

Sorry to go slightly off topic to answer this but it may be relevant to the OP's decision. I was quoting figures based on the birth I had in 2010 here in the US plus research I have read since then. A lot depends on the hospital you choose, or your insurance chooses for you, and where you live.

I had great health insurance through my husband's employer and there wasn't any co-pay for anything during the whole pre-natal care, birth and post-natal care plus no co-pays for the post birth pediatric care and for seven well check visits in the first 3 years.

However I kept a check on the bills that were coming through to us even though we did not owe anything. Two nights in the hospital, non-surgical birth, lab work, meds etc. It came to well over $20,000 - for both me and the baby. That's not including pre-natal and post-natal care after the hospital stay. And compared to your wife I had twice as many pre-natal checks - once a month for the first seven months - then once every two weeks for month eight, then every week for month nine, including two appointments in the final week. Three ultrasounds during the pre-natal care alone came to over $600.

You can shop around if you have the knowledge and the time to find something cheaper I'm sure. But we picked the hospital nearest to our home which was still a 25 min drive and it was not cheap.

If you come from a country where medical bills do not escalate in the way they can over here in the US, and you don't manage to get on the insurance in time for the birth, it could come as quite a shock to see how much you can be charged.

[No name 88 48]

I do realize that my sons birth was peanuts compared to the US prices. The Ultrasounds were $45 each and done by a doctor; not a tech. The wife's tetanus booster was $2. I'm at a loss as why it costs what it does in the US. Actually this year I have the best income year living in Vietnam that I've ever had with regards to saving money and paying taxes.

If the US is going to burden me by keeping my family out I won't burden myself with paying US taxes. Of course I'm doing this through exemptions and credits.

If everyone did this I bet the process would get faster.

[No name 88 48]

Todd&Hanh I think youre misunderstanding thay the OP isnt concerned about the cost of health care in Australia, which would be nil, but wants to have the baby in the USA so the father can be present.

Not everyone can be put on medical coverage before they move to the USA or even before the open period for changing benefits.

I got that. The options have already been established.

What crappy insurance plan do you have so I know to never take a job with that coverage? For 20 years I've known this as the standard. No changes for life events?

[SennaBrigante 92]

Try being 30 weeks pregnant and not in the US. Add to the fact that my husband is still on probation so him flying here for the baby's birth is impossible.

Sorry but the only way for you might be to fly to the US now until you give birth but then you'll be overstaying your VWP.

OT - child birth here is about $1,500 for a normal delivery in one of the best hospitals in the country. So far with the ultrasounds, tests and doctor's fees I think I've only spent about $200 with no insurance. I don't have insurance. If my husband put me on his insurance it would be about $20 co-pay for every appointment, not sure how much the tests will cost. Labor and delivery won't be covered though and we can only consult preferred doctors in TX.

[NikLR 13,220]

I got that. The options have already been established.

What crappy insurance plan do you have so I know to never take a job with that coverage? For 20 years I've known this as the standard. No changes for life events?

Okay it seemed like you were going on about insurance when the point is moot because she wont be here for the birth anyhow most likely. Health insurance in Australia works similar to that in the UK and Canada (and the rest of planet earth as well.) In fact the USA is the ONLY 1st world country that doesn't have some sort of socialized health care system.

We have good insurance because my husband works for the government thanks for asking. It is quite possible he didn't inquire well enough about immigration being a life changing event, he didnt have the job when we were married and I'm Canadian so I didnt NEED insurance when he started, but he was told it wasn't one and we'd have to wait until the next open period. Since he was in the USAF for 8 years he doesn't tend to challenge authority as much but hey, he volunteered for tours in Iraq and Africa so if thats the end result I'll take it.

[NikLR 13,220]

Oh but before this job he had VA coverage, which you're right, is horrid!

[Darnell 8,478]

'local office' IMO is a data error.

It got transferred, certainly.

suggest you find and read in a monthly I-130 filers thread, soonish. And study the prior month topics as well.

Hi there, can anyone offer me advise!

I am four months pregnant. We sent off out 1-130 in November, and 1-129f in December. I am wondering how I can get back for the birth of my child. My husband is in the U.S and I am in Australia. Can anyone offer any advise?

Desperate here, as within a few more months I won't be able to fly.

you will wait an additional 4 to 9 weeks , as filing an I-129F to chase a K-3 visa,

usually means the I-130 is pulled out of it's place in queue,

and joined up with the I-129F,

both placed at the end of the queue.