Can I share our health insurance gripe? (baby related)

[Nestof3]

Okay, so my husband and I are considering having another child. We knew that Anthem had a 6-month waiting period after adding maternity coverage, which is fine. It would give us 6 months to really consider it and for my husband's busy time of work to be here (his work is seasonal and he's self-employed) to see if he feels he can take on the added work. I also wanted to spend those six months getting in shape.

 

We called today to add maternity to our personal policy Health Smart. We were told we could not add it until the policy renewal period which is the end of August. We asked about cancelling this policy and starting another, and we were told we could do that, but we would not get the same policy. We would have to go with one with a $55 prescription card fee. Now, if we had not had coverage already, we could have signed up with the same Health Smart plan without the prescription card fee.

 

We aren't even on any prescriptions. We are both very healthy.

 

My husband is almost 49, though, and I am 35, so we didn't want to wait much longer if we were going to have another child.

 

There just seems to be no reason to this.

 

Thanks for listening.

[WriterGirl]

I've been listening to Dave Ramsey's podcasts lately, and his take (which I haven't verified) is that the cost of the extra premiums is about the same as the out of pocket cost for having the child without insurance. You might want to ask your doctor about the cost and see where you would be.

 

Again, I have no idea if Ramsey is right or not, but it's worth investigating.

[Sophia]

My dh is also self employed so I understand only too well how difficult it can be to deal with insurance companies.

 

In fact, frustration over maternity coverage is what led me to homebirth my last three children.

 

I'm not suggesting you do that as that is an extremely personal decision, but just wanted to let you know I understand the frustration and will pray God opens a door for you.

[Nestof3]

Thanks for your input -- I will look into that.

 

I just realized that they no longer offer regular Health Smart -- it's now "with enhanced drug benefits."

 

This plan may actually be the way to go, we would just increase our deductible more to keep the premiums lower. I would just have to find out what the out-of-pocket expense would be.

[Nestof3]

Sophia,

 

So much of me has always wanted a home birth. There is so much I detested about being in a hospital. I always felt like they were taking my baby away for a LONG time, and I have a very difficult time relaxing in a hospital. I am a person who must labor standing up, and I found a lot of resistance to this. LOL

 

My first was a C-section, my second a VBAC naturally. (or eldest in case anyone is confused is my son by marriage) If 7 years hadn't passed since my last birth, I would probably try a homebirth. It is very important to me to create a healthy environment for a new baby which is why I was looking forward to focusing on preparing my body and womb.

 

Many of our friends -- families we house church with -- home birth.

 

Much of me still longs to go that route, but fear always overtakes me.

[Sandy in Indy]

My niece just had a baby at the hospital with no insurance...and spent well over $10,000. I can't imagine insurance premiums being that much more!

 

We, too, are self-employed and were insurance-less for our last two children. That's one of the reasons I chose to use midwives for their births. One was a birth center birth and the other was a home birth. (Cost was about the same.)

 

I think I'd investigate what other insurance options there are for you. Barring that, I'd probably wait till you can add it in August. (But then I was 42 when I had my last one so you seem to have plenty of time to me.)

[Karen sn]

Nestof3, don't let fear keep you from doing what you really want to do.

 

Unfortunately, my PT job as a hospice nurse is low on the nursing payscale and offers no insurance. Home birth is my route regardless of $ being an issue because I had my dd (now 10) at home and it was perfect.

For this baby - I will do it again at home. Last time it only cost me $1,000 because I had medicaid covering prenatal and postnatal - I just had to pay for the actual day itself. This time I don't even know what it will cost.

 

Birth your baby the way you want to. If you really feel safer in the hosp'ital -get a doula to be your advocate - discuss your birthplan with the doctor, etc...

Happy trying to make a baby!!!!

[LizzyBee]

I've been listening to Dave Ramsey's podcasts lately, and his take (which I haven't verified) is that the cost of the extra premiums is about the same as the out of pocket cost for having the child without insurance. You might want to ask your doctor about the cost and see where you would be.

 

Again, I have no idea if Ramsey is right or not, but it's worth investigating.

 

Since a healthy birth cossts upwards of $10,000, I don't see how this could possibly be true unless one has a home birth. Even a home birth with a midwife will cost several thousand dollars. When I got pregnant with my first 15 years ago and had no maternity coverage, I looked into having a midwife and the midwife fee would have been $3,000, only $500 cheaper than the OB doctor that I chose.

[Amy loves Bud]

I just delivered in July and paid less than $7K total to all involved - hospital, ob for prenatal care and delivery, lab, etc. And I delivered at a pretty "fancy" hospital - private room with bed for DH, celebratory steak lunch served to Bud and me the next day, etc. The key is asking for a deal "right now" if you pay in full" right now. Of course, you need to be prepared to pay in full when you go in to negotiate!

 

ETA: I didn't have an epidural, so I had no anesthesiology charges. That would have added afew hundred. But otherwise I had the Full Meal Deal so to speak.