Up until now, with the exception of the ridiculously high cost to cover myself and my daughter I have been mostly untouched by the criminal acts of health insurance companies. I've mentioned that we are trying to make bacon. Until now, the woman has had a barebones basic health plan that does not cover maternity. $115 a month, with a 5k deductible. Pointless right? Unless you loose a limb or something. No no, really, we like paying over a $100 a month for really next to no coverage, seeing as how we pay full price visits and scripts. Ok, so investigating the move to my plan at the office it was brought to our attention that she may not be covered under HIPAA. "under a law known as HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, health insurers cannot consider pregnancy a preexisting condition. So, unlike illnesses such as diabetes, they can't deny you coverage when you go from one job to another and switch health plans. BUTTTTTTTTT Second, HIPAA applies only to group health plans. So if you have individual insurance and are pregnant, then buy group health insurance, you again could be subject to a preexisting condition waiting period. Likewise, if you move from one individual health plan to another individual health plan, you might not get pregnancy coverage at all. You might have to sit out a waiting period, or if you are offered insurance that covers your pregnancy, you might find it's very expensive." So if she got pregnant today, she couldnt buy a rider on her existing plan. She's not eligable for medicate because she has more than 3k in her checking account. Ironically infertility treatments are covered. I've got a lot of anger today. And its all exclusively directed at health insurance companies. How can they get away with this shit? Do they not seem like the most powerful organizations on earth right now? Even banks had too get on their knees to a degree in the last 6 months. |
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The insurance companies have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo and they are way too powerful with their hands in waaaaaay too many pockets. No way this government can overthrow them; the British needed a fucking World War to get a nationalized single-payer program and that was long before the insurance industry had become the behemoth that it is today. "Health care" in this country is such a fucking joke. I'm uninsured right now (and have been for a long time) and I am paying in cash through the nose for medical treatment under a false name so that if I am ever in a position to buy insurance again, my pre-existing condition can't be counted against me. That, my friends, is fucked. |
...would it be possible to make the +3k go away? |
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we are planning a trip to costa rica |
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Janny, no shit. We are renting a house in the state of Puntarenas, in town called Bahia Herradura. We leave on Aug 9th, the day after the world surfing championship |
I find it fascinating that the government health care options for po' folk are usually so restrictive that most po' folk can't actually access them because they're "too rich." The system actually has deliberate disincentives for upward mobility; better to be unemployed and pregnant than to be trying to build a career. |
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it cost us virtually NOTHING to have her. it was weird. the prenatal care visits were free. and well.....we never ever got a bill for the hospital stay. i have no idea if thats a clerical matter or not. however, now, being on a PPO, its going to cost at least 1k, on top of the $20 for office visits. you know what is most outrageous about the US healthcare system? everyone sits up in washington and in the state congress' and shouts "but what about the children, we must protect our children!" yet, if this country really gave a rats ass about its children, there'd be seatbelts in school buses. there'd be free, quality prenatal and early childhood medical care. its a load of horse shit. when obama came out the other day firing off on his national plan and the insurance companies were all like "no way...you can't do it, the sky will fall the sky will fall" it all sounded like the ramblings of the witch as she looked up and so the house on its way down. i am reasonably hopeful that obama will be able to shake up the cage much more than any other president in history when it comes to the behometh healthcare industry. good news. we found a caveat in NC law that prevents a provider from denying coverage to a pregnant woman for pre-existing condition, so it looks like were good. a lot lot more to come (cough!) , on this front. |
If your lady isn't already planning on trying to be as unmedicated as possible, think hard about it. Not only was it better for Kazu and the Lad in terms of not being all drugged up, but you don't pay for what you don't use, right? Kazu could tell you better than I. |
However, I have to say that cost is not a good reason alone to avoid pain relief in labor. I mean, do YOU want to be the one to tell the laboring woman, "Remember honey, we're trying to save money." LABOR PARTNER FAIL |
but you know....we havent had any discussions about birth plans moving forward because you know.....*cough* its not official *ack* we're having a baby. |
I just wanted a nap. I felt better after that and then I was bored and missed being in labor. |
after it kicked in.....it was hilarious...i was watching the meter seeing the spikes from contractions but as opposed to the screams, she was rattling things to get at the grocery store when we got home. |
I believe that someone wondered "why" I was getting an epidural and someone called me "stoic." I read the consent form over and over before I finally agreed. I didn't scream. I literally couldn't vocalize anything more than a low groan. I also kept time by banging on whatever was close by (e.g. the table, Andy's leg) and sitting still was easy as that was all I was able to do. I sent Andy out of the room and had my doula (they would only let one other person stay). I had the most amazing midwife and nurses though. |