Medical Insurance To Cover Current Pregnancy (6 weeks) (health insurance, credit)

[Amy_Singapore]

Hi everyone,

I'm going to relocate to North Carolina from Singapore in July. Currently, I'm 6 weeks pregnant and is having a difficult time getting a medical insurance that would cover my current pregnancy.

Although I was told that most companies would not cover current pregnancies, I had no options as my company regulations require me insure myself medically as well as for the pregnancy.

Could anyone help or recommend which insurance company / agent I could discuss this with?

Thanks!
Amy (Singapore)

[BagongBuhay]

Did you have insurance prior to the pregnancy or are you presently insured before your move? Can you produce a Certificate of Prior Insurance, also known as Creditable Proof of Insurance? If you can, then this would waive the pregnancy as a pre-existing condition.

[Asheville Native]

After spending a good bit of time trying to find affordable insurance myself, I'd say you will have a hard time finding coverage, and won't cost a months salary every month.

Remember you are moving to the United States, where 40+ million people are uninsured because they can't get it or afford it if they could get it. We are the ONLY industrialized nation on the planet that can say that.

[J_Lurk]

A lot of people I know who are self-insured use Blue Cross / Blue Shield. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina - Your plan for better health However, I don't know anyone who has looked for insurance while pregnant.

My guess is that you might need to look for a plan that has a high deductible (this means you pay a lot before the insurance starts paying). However, you still probably want to have a plan in place. Hospitals often have a negotiated rate that they pay insurance companies that is less than they charge uninsured patients, so you want to have the insurance just so you get the cheaper rate, even in insurance passes a large portion of the costs on to you. An uncomplicated delivery is probably going to run you at least $10,000 -$15,000, just to give you an idea what US costs are like.

[Amy_Singapore]

Hi everyone again.

Unfortunately, I do not have any prior insurance coverage as well that may be of use here.

The problem here is my husband is going to work with the US DoD (Department of Defense) and their policy requires all dependents to be covered medically and in my case, to cover pregnancy and complications as well.

One of the clauses also requires a deductable of $150. Hence, high deductable is a no-go. I'm more than willing to pay higher premiums now as we speak but still cannot find any insurance company that will do this for us.

Are insurance agents / brokers able to source solutions for us or is it more likely that I'll have to knock on every insurance company's door?

Thanks again for the replies!

[Lori1961]

I work for Blue Shield in California and most carriers will NOT cover someone who is pregnant. However, I would suggest you find a good insurance broker who will be able to find the best solution for you. Most insurance brokers are not committed to selling just one carrier's insurance. Good luck!

[aphorista]

In the past, Medicaid covered pregnancy regardless of income if you did not have insurance. I don't know if this is still an option. I would also ask the department of defense what they might recommend as this may have happened in the past. Are you or your husband ex-military, if so, what about Tricare?

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by Amy_Singapore

One of the clauses also requires a deductable of $150. Hence, high deductable is a no-go. I'm more than willing to pay higher premiums now as we speak but still cannot find any insurance company that will do this for us.

Demanding such a low deductible sounds completely out of line. I went for years with a $2500 deductible, and the savings between premiums vs. out of pocket expenses left me thousands of dollars ahead.

In fact if I had used up or exceeded my deductibles every year it would have still been a wash, the difference in premiums was that significant. This was with BCBS of NC.

[vbg]

What if the pregnant woman had group health insurance from company before pregnancy, but she will quit her job or she will, for example, graduate from college before delivery. One option is COBRA. What are other options?


This info may be useful:

1. Consider getting a job that offers good health insurance plan. Make sure you fully understand the employer's health insurance plan before accepting a job. Some companies may require you to be employed for 30 days or more before you become eligible for coverage. This may be fine if you are in the early stages of your pregnancy and don't mind paying for a couple of pre-natal visits. However, this could pose a major problem if you are nearing your end term.
2. If you are changing jobs you can not be denied health insurance at your new job just because you are pregnant. The Federal Law HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) states that pregnancy can not be considered a pre-existing condition if you were previously covered by group health insurance. If prior to your new job, you didn't have maternity health insurance or were covered by individual insurance, you do not qualify for protection offered under HIPPAA. This means that you may be subject to pre-existing Condition waiting period under your new employer's health insurance policy.
3. You may be eligible for maternity health insurance under COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) through your previous employer. This will cover you for 18 months, provided you apply for the benefits before the 60-day application period expires. However, this will generally require you to pay the full premium (plus 2% administrative cost). You may find this pricey, but definitely better than not having any insurance at all.
4. If your income falls within a certain range (typically up to 200% of federal poverty level depending on which state you live in), you can avail of Medicaid. Medicaid offers health insurance to pregnant women, along with several other groups of people (children, disabled, blind and people over the age of 65). There are strict regulations regarding eligibility for Medicaid, so contact your State's Health Department Services to inquire about Medicaid options.
5. If you find yourself without maternity health insurance, and do not meet the eligibility requirements of Medicaid then contact your Local Department of Health. Many local health departments have low cost pre-natal programs and will offer complete maternity services at a reduced fee depending on your income.
6. You can also seek the help of Catholic Charities or Lutheran Social Services. They offer support for if you are pregnant with no insurance, including prenatal services at reduced cost.

[cellacarras]

Any one can tell me what happen if I don't know if I'm pregnant but actually I'm with out knowing officialy and I sign up for inssurance tomorrow? Thanks for the help