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Old 12-20-2008, 08:21 PM
 
Location: chicagoland
1,636 posts, read 4,223,101 times
Reputation: 1077

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Quote:
Originally Posted by maciesmom View Post
miasmommy - I am sympathetic with your circumstances but I still have a hard time with the attitude that insurance is a right and that "the state" ought to be paying for it. The OP (which is what this whole thing is about) did not seem to have any out of the ordinary circumstances and she did appear to have the means to pay for something. I have huge frustration with people who tend to think because they are "healthy" they should not have to pay for insurance. How do you think insurance works? It spreads the cost among all of those people who pay premiums - if there were no "healthy" people paying it wouldn't work. You can't just decide you want insurance when you need it. I listen to the young people at work who balk at paying $250/month premium (they are single and I work for a large company) because "they can't afford it". Oddly enough however, they CAN afford, ski trips, vacations, new cars, iphones and large HDTVs (BTW we have taken 1 real vacation in about 20 years and have none of the "toys" I mentioned) and the like. Like a several PPs have said - it's all about your priorities.

I only meant that it is a RIGHT for children! NOT adults. And we are not going to sell our house! We have one car. I work the night shift, since I am breastfeeding and go on no sleep twice a week. When my husband gets on a firedepartment, we will be able to better afford insurance for our entire family.

And to a previous poster:

I AM A TAXPAYER TOO! It does not make sense to think that you are the only person paying for my public aid. If taxpayers are paying for it I AM PAYING FOR IT MYSELF! I've payed taxes for 15 years, my husband 20! Yes, it is our right to use the public aid temporarily.

I agree again, the OP obviously sounds like she has some planning involved. That is great. If she has the money to possible pay payments, then an insurance plan is an obvious better choice!
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Old 12-20-2008, 09:15 PM
 
Location: North Florida
414 posts, read 1,859,452 times
Reputation: 358
Quote:
Originally Posted by miasmommy View Post
I don't see how that works! We make 32,000 a year, and have a daughter. We pay mortgage, car payment, car insurance, gas, fuel, electric, food and home phone. There is NO way we could afford to pay 450 a month for insurance.

Anyhow, I would NEVER pay that much for insurance! That is outrageous! If anything, my husband and I are looking into "emergency/hopitalization" coverage. We are healthy and don't go to the doctor often. We are happy with the coverage the state GIVES to children for free. It is how it should be. We shouldn't have to PAY for a child's insurance. It should be a right that comes with birth and at least until someone is done with schooling.
My parents don't have debt or car payments. They used money in their savings to pay off credit card debt so that they can afford health insurance. I know that not everyone is in this situation, but they made choices to not keep up with the Jones' and now they can afford insurance that would have been unaffordable if they kept living out of their means.

Back to the OP: if you have the money to pay for a healthy pregnancy, please consider purchasing some kind of insurance. Complications happen with even the healthiest and normal pregnancies. Over 525,000 babies are born prematurely each year and thousands more are born with birth defects or don't even make it. Your 'normal' pregnancy could end up costing you so much more in the end. Good luck with your decision adn congrats in advance for another baby!
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Old 12-20-2008, 09:53 PM
 
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
2,868 posts, read 9,539,309 times
Reputation: 1532
Quote:
Originally Posted by miasmommy View Post
I only meant that it is a RIGHT for children! NOT adults. And we are not going to sell our house! We have one car. I work the night shift, since I am breastfeeding and go on no sleep twice a week. When my husband gets on a firedepartment, we will be able to better afford insurance for our entire family.

And to a previous poster:

I AM A TAXPAYER TOO! It does not make sense to think that you are the only person paying for my public aid. If taxpayers are paying for it I AM PAYING FOR IT MYSELF! I've payed taxes for 15 years, my husband 20! Yes, it is our right to use the public aid temporarily.

I agree again, the OP obviously sounds like she has some planning involved. That is great. If she has the money to possible pay payments, then an insurance plan is an obvious better choice!
I am curious...why did you guys not wait a year or two before you had a baby? I am not flaming you I truly want to know... I know before we had kids, we made sure we were ready...financially. That was not until I was 29.
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Old 12-20-2008, 11:04 PM
 
Location: San Antonio, TX
1,030 posts, read 1,451,245 times
Reputation: 255
Quote:
Originally Posted by miasmommy View Post
Oh, now I see what the "face smack" is all about!

That's what I figured! How rude

That public assistance is for those who cannot afford insurance. I know some people take advantage, but that doesn't mean that a child should go uninsured.

Both my husband and I are full time students while he works 80 hours per week and I 15 and also care for an infant!

We "self-payey" the FEW times we ever went to the doctor (we do much better without them) but there was NO way we could afford to pay for all prenatel and postnatal care AND the birth!

If you don't qualify for the public assistance (which I'm sure you've paid into your whole working life as did I) hospitals have payment plans. They CANNOT turn you away from prenatal/postnatal care or for the baby and you after he/she is born. So after you get all the bills (probably one from the janitor as well) you can just set something up with each bill source.

Good Luck

maybe you should not have children you can not afford. Insurance is expensive for a reason, it is expensive to go to the doctor.
and yes hospitals can turn you away. EMTALA only states that you will be screened by a doctor, not that you get free care.

Moderator cut: unnecessary

Last edited by jeannie216; 12-21-2008 at 02:50 PM..
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Old 12-20-2008, 11:07 PM
 
Location: San Antonio, TX
1,030 posts, read 1,451,245 times
Reputation: 255
Quote:
Originally Posted by miasmommy View Post
sorry, just because you are working class and can't afford insurance does NOT mean you should NOT be able to enjoy having a family!
I'm sorry, but if you are working class, pay for the insurance.
Cut off the cable, get rid of the cellphones, keep the car longer...
americans are lazy and irresponsible and expect the gov't to bail them out.
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Old 12-20-2008, 11:21 PM
 
Location: San Antonio, TX
1,030 posts, read 1,451,245 times
Reputation: 255
Quote:
Originally Posted by miasmommy View Post
That doesn't make any sense. I pay taxes. I have for years. I never compained when I assisted those in need. I'm paying for it just as much as you. And the way I am taking this is that you guys think that public aid is of less quality and by buying insurance you get better doctors and better care. So why does it matter?

This would NOT be an issue if there weren't so many illegal immigrants getting free health care or drug addicts on housing and collecting food stamps!

And you know what, I apologize AGAIN like I do in many threads. I am passionate and fair. Sometimes my comments run away with my emotions.

I didn't want to get into this but here go:

I married at 23. Husband was 29. We saved for a house. Baught a car. We were paying for his insurance from work. He had a siezure out of nowhere which our insurance company linked to a pre existing condition from a highschool head injury. The PPO would not pay for it so we were left to disability (for him.)

Well, 4 years later, we are still working on getting back to where we were heading in the first place. My husband went off disability on his own to go back to work.

Now it is hard to get insurance for HIM. His work is WAY too expensive. We always wanted children early and that hit us hard.

We decided to go for it even without insurance. We are not planning on keeping our daughter on it for life! But for now, it works. I still stick with the opinion that ALL kids should have insurance whether or not their parents can pay for it or not. It is NOT the childs fault.

I was only stating options to the OP.

You are ALL right; raising MY child should NOT be YOUR job alone rather our countries responsibility as a whole.

I agree many are out there for a handout. That is not my intention. But I am not against two married people who got dealt a temporary bad hand being able to ''continue" along with their plans to start a family even if they need a little help!

That is what this country is based on. Helping others to live the dream. Especially those who work hard and contribute to society. I am a senior caregiver going to school to become a teacher. My husband is taking EMT classes to become a fireman.

Sob sob sob, lol
Moderator cut: unnecessary My wife became disabled 2 years after we got married. Not once did I think about not having insurance. We even turned down Medicare because I would rather work extra to pay for insurance than to use the gov't system.
Nobody said life was going to be perfect. You seem to have a gripe about the insurance industry in general because they didn't cover your husband. I don't agree with pre-existing condition rules, and the lawmakers are trying to change those. If your husband works, group policies are not allowed to not cover pre-existing conditions.
You have to understand that the insurance companies have to make a profit too. People are fraudulant by nature and that is why they have their rules.
Nut to have a child knowing you can't afford it is plain irresponsible. Finish college than have a family. Join the army, healthcare is free then.

Last edited by jeannie216; 12-21-2008 at 02:54 PM..
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Old 12-21-2008, 08:50 AM
 
Location: Rogers, Arkansas
1,279 posts, read 4,762,942 times
Reputation: 1225
... ok I didn't mean to start a flame war
The main reason I asked is because I am fairly new to the USA, only arrived here three months ago (legally! My husband is from Arkansas), and I didn't know how things work here, other than what we Europeans always hear about the US being very expensive for anything medical. In Ireland, things are very different- pregnancy, birth and the first 6 months of baby care are free unless you want private care (seeing a specified OBGYN rather than a rotating team of on-duty docs). You get 26 weeks paid maternity leave, and all vaccinations are free too (though I do believe the health dept offers something similar here, 5 dollars for vaccinations, or 25 dollars at Wallmart so that isn't too bad).

We are not rich but yes we have some money; while we could afford an uncomplicated pregnancy it does look like getting insurance and waiting a bit is the best option, just in case, and also because we would NOT want to rely on public assistance. If nothing else so I can have a few months of uninterrupted sleep before the next pregnancy!

Last edited by Penguin_ie; 12-21-2008 at 08:50 AM.. Reason: toddler interruption
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Old 12-21-2008, 08:58 AM
 
Location: NW Montana
6,259 posts, read 14,643,535 times
Reputation: 3460
Question, how is it that you came to be here? Are you having to fullfuill any work specifications? I lived some time in Europe and you will find things very different here. You have also come at a difficult time in our country. Good luck with your american dream. The road will be very rough for the next decade.
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Old 12-21-2008, 09:21 AM
 
Location: Moon Over Palmettos
5,978 posts, read 19,864,128 times
Reputation: 5102
Quote:
Originally Posted by Penguin_ie View Post
... ok I didn't mean to start a flame war
The main reason I asked is because I am fairly new to the USA, only arrived here three months ago (legally! My husband is from Arkansas), and I didn't know how things work here, other than what we Europeans always hear about the US being very expensive for anything medical. In Ireland, things are very different- pregnancy, birth and the first 6 months of baby care are free unless you want private care (seeing a specified OBGYN rather than a rotating team of on-duty docs). You get 26 weeks paid maternity leave, and all vaccinations are free too (though I do believe the health dept offers something similar here, 5 dollars for vaccinations, or 25 dollars at Wallmart so that isn't too bad).

We are not rich but yes we have some money; while we could afford an uncomplicated pregnancy it does look like getting insurance and waiting a bit is the best option, just in case, and also because we would NOT want to rely on public assistance. If nothing else so I can have a few months of uninterrupted sleep before the next pregnancy!
Best to you, Penguin. When I delivered my first child, my OB actually switched the location of my delivery to one which had an in-house NICU. He just wouldn't take the chance and was just being careful. If there was ever any complication, either with you or the baby, that is stressful enough, without having to think of the financial liability. This way if you have insurance, you can focus on yourself and the baby instead of paying outrageous bills. Good luck!
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Old 12-21-2008, 09:26 AM
 
Location: NW Montana
6,259 posts, read 14,643,535 times
Reputation: 3460
Quote:
Originally Posted by Penguin_ie View Post
Thanks for the info!

Yodi- I already have 10 month old twins, born in Ireland, who were born by c-section after failed induction (they started to run out of space and were born at 39 weeks weighing 6.6 and 7.4 pounds). I'd like a VBAC, but am told in the USA, doctors tend to refuse them.
Are your twins your current husband's children?
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