Trying to help lady who is pg who has no insurance... ob care advice please. (obgyn, health insurance)

[loves2read]

this is from the Collin County web site

Collin County Indigent Program
"This program provides health care services to indigent citizens of Collin County who have a household income of less than 50% of the federal poverty level. Proof of income and resource standard for determining eligibility are required. Contact our main office number listed above for more information.
Collin County Health Care Services
Collin County Health Care Building map
825 N. McDonald St.
McKinney, TX 75069

Email: hc@collincountytx.gov
Phone: 972-548-5500 (McKinney)
972-424-1460 ext. 5500

don't assume that because they are married she can't get medicaid to cover her pregnancy or other children and don't assume that because he is working they can't get medicaid--family situations are different and need to be evaluated that way by someone who knows policies

but if she chooses to apply for benefits they must be prepared to be honest in all ways about their situation-some people aren't-- frankly --and that can cause them to get into trouble down the road...

she can't qualify for medicaid there is CHIPs program which has higher income limits
Collin County WIC Information

she needs to contact WIC also-- the unborn baby counts in the household number for all these programs--WIC income limits are higher than medicaid so more people qualify

this is WIC general info site w/guidelines and info sheets at bottom
WIC Eligibility

this is link to some WIC locations in Collin co
Collin County WIC Information

Frankly IMO her husband needs to be looking for work that might have some health benefits and better pay that Subway since I am sure that is part-time work--
although I know from working for TX dept of human services that job locations and willingness to hire are crucial factors in some people getting work at all...

[Canine*Castle]

Her husband needs to work three jobs if need be. She can also do something to make extra money and then maybe not having any more kids would be a great idea. I have a real problem with handouts as there are just too many people who want them and think they deserve them. Use common sense and many financial burdens can be avoided.

[loves2read]

something else--when I was a caseworker and doing what is called TP40's medicaid for pregnant women--many "unmarried" women would come in to apply for coverage for their pregnancies---one important piece of informaation that is required is information about the father of the unborn baby--legally if the case is certified W/O his income/status taken into account and it then comes to the attention of the govt that it was known at the time--that is a problem--that is fraud--it is concealing required information--and BOTH people can be held responsible for repayment of the costs paid out...
many of these women would lie and say they did not know who the father was for several reasons
1) if single, they thought if they told the truth the father's income would prevent their certification and/or the guy did not want any of his personal info entered on the case file because he did not want to establish legal precedent for relationship/child support case
2) they really were married and were concealing that fact...

caseworkers follow the laws--people should not receive benefits they are not legally able to qualify for because if they do
1) that is fraud and a violation of both federal and state law,
2) if found guilty, they have to REPAY what they received that they were not entitled to--and they can have income and income tax refunds diverted for eyars until the amount and penalties are repaid...same as guys with child support problems...

when I first went to work for the state not many of these lawsuits were filed for fraud and repayment but when I left there were more and more of them as hospital costs rose and the govt got very upset at the number of people it discovered WERE receiving benefits illegally---I don't know about now...

we have people--friends from hs--who live in Houston--saw them not too long ago and they were complaining about all the illegals in Houston who are getting benefits (where they got that info I don't know and don't think it is accurate but they listen to Rush Limbaugh a lot) and all the tax money spend on funding programs like food stamps and medicaid for the poor--they are againt it full stop--let people work for what they need but
they have two adult sons--one of them has been in armed forces after hs for several years and had difficult time since he got out supporting his child so he went back to school at TAMU to get a degree--he and his child are living with his fiancee in College Station and he is not working but she is--they recently found out they can receive food stamps--dont know if they gave accurate info about their household situation or not but
it is OK for their son to receive food stamps--just not anyone else...

qualifying for these help programs is very complex--policies overlap--what works for one person does not work for someone else--and the govt is the one that writes the rules--not the agency or the caseworker doing the interview

the people who want the benefits need to make full disclosure even if they think it is time-consuming, "stupid", or embarassing to give the required information to the case worker...there were many people who came into our office trying to get food stamps and medicaid for their children and attempted to conceal the fact that the father/husband was living in the household ...he might have been unemployed or just had a very erratic history of low-paying work--they might be moving into TX from another state because of lack of work and basically homeless--

sometimes when the worker got ALL the information--the entire family was eligibile for benefits because of the unemployed/homeless status of the family--they were ALL receiving medicaid and food stamps and it was LEGAL...I don't know if programs like that are still active for applicants--have not worked for the state for over 10 years...

but if they do not qualify -- the person to blame is not the caseworker but the politicians who have failed to work for and provide at least minimum health coverage (and I don't mean a county hospital setup) for all American citizens...

[stargazer]

Thank you so much loves2read!

I am grateful for all the information...

[GHJohn]

Originally Posted by Canine*Castle

Her husband needs to work three jobs if need be. She can also do something to make extra money and then maybe not having any more kids would be a great idea. I have a real problem with handouts as there are just too many people who want them and think they deserve them. Use common sense and many financial burdens can be avoided.

Good luck finding anything of substance in this market. Short of the IT field most of the market is bare.

[CallMeLaura]

A former coworker of mine ended up not being covered by insurance with their second child and used a midwife for home delivery. I don't remember the exact cost, but it was considerably less than having the baby in a hospital (few hundred vs. thousands). They were pleased with the personal attention, as well.

If you have to buy them yourself, make sure the mother is taking prenatal vitamins.

[loves2read]

my niece has been a mid-wife in the austin area for 6 or so years--has delivered her two sisters children and many others--works out of a clinic
if you go that route which more people approve of for a variety of reasons not just cost
just make sure the mid-wife is liscensed and has a dr that she works with if there are complications during delivery--
my niece does have that arrangement and is liscensed....

[Canine*Castle]

Originally Posted by GHJohn

Good luck finding anything of substance in this market. Short of the IT field most of the market is bare.

Having any kind of job if one is in financial trouble can be found. He can mow lawns, work at another fast food place, in retail, and the list goes on. One can't be choosy if he or she is broke. Working is better than getting government assistance that we who do work hard end up paying for.

[KK2007]

I would try calling the Allen Birthing Center (Allen Birthing Center - Dallas Midwife: Honoring the Spirit of Birth), and tell them what's going on. The women there are wonderful! If they know your situation, they often try to make payment plans or something to make the birth work for you. It is much cheapter than a hospital birth.

Has she tried Parkland yet?

[stargazer]

thank you all for giving me so much information... I have written her and plan to stop by her husband's work to give info just in case she didn't get the message.. she has to take her lap top to a coffee shop to do internet.

Having any kind of job if one is in financial trouble can be found. He can mow lawns, work at another fast food place, in retail, and the list goes on. One can't be choosy if he or she is broke. Working is better than getting government assistance that we who do work hard end up paying for.

fyi he works extremely hard and long hours, more than a 40 hours week. He is extremely young to have the weight he has on him... his wife works long hours too... They were married very young and are still teens... and no one to support them... they have no family here either... it is very hard for them and have admired that they have stood together.... even though they married so young in life... they have not taken any handouts. As I always say, you never know what can happen in your life... I have been fortunate and blessed to have the life I have.... i did make different choices about life and most people i know do but STILL... it doesn't give anyone the right to be negative towards them... they never robbed or cheated anyone... they have tried to do the right thing.. worked very hard and still have dreams to get their education which they can't till they get through this hump.... sometimes people just need a help up...

Lest we forget, our country has survived and stood the test of time through our ideals and beliefs...

For me it is to be kind and compassionate towards others... to be helpful to others where a need might be... we don't need to be asleep in the light as they say... meaning where you got it so good that you don't really care about anyone else....