6 weeks pregnant with no insurance (yet)

mob44mob

My insurance doesn't kick in until mid to the end of February.  Is that too late to wait to attend my first prenatal appointment?

nopegoat

I would call your OB and ask about it. All of them are different I know, but I know mine doesn't require any payment at all until 20wks, when it is due in full. Maybe they will be able to work with you a little?

sourapplemartini

You need to call your ins company and see if they'll even cover you or if they consider pregnancy a pre existing condition. 

ks3pink

sourapplemartini:

You need to call your ins company and see if they'll even cover you or if they consider pregnancy a pre existing condition. 

Agreed. Many insurance companies go by your due date and will consider your pregnancy pre-existing. 

AmberMH08

there is a law now that new insurance policies have to cover you pre existing pregnancy or not...something about discrimination etc etc ... so all good on that... my dr does payment plan i pay 20 a week usually more u can always go to a free clinic in your area for confirmation and they will prolly set you up with prenatal vitamins and that way you could prolly get by with waiting to go ot OB in feb.

sourapplemartini

AmberMH08:

there is a law now that new insurance policies have to cover you pre existing pregnancy or not...something about discrimination etc etc ... so all good on that... my dr does payment plan i pay 20 a week usually more u can always go to a free clinic in your area for confirmation and they will prolly set you up with prenatal vitamins and that way you could prolly get by with waiting to go ot OB in feb.

This is not true. It varies by state and depends on what type of insurance plan she has. It's not required to be covered until 2014 when the reform law fully goes into effect. 

nanabanana06

Another option is to go to your state office and get their pregnancy medical. Even if your insurance won't cover your pregnancy due to a pre existing condition then the state will cover it. It's just a suggestion though. Some people think that with the state insurance you get crappy care. That just isn't true. My OB takes state insurance and the whole office is awesome. Just a suggestion.

oncoRN

sourapplemartini:

AmberMH08:

there is a law now that new insurance policies have to cover you pre existing pregnancy or not...something about discrimination etc etc ... so all good on that... my dr does payment plan i pay 20 a week usually more u can always go to a free clinic in your area for confirmation and they will prolly set you up with prenatal vitamins and that way you could prolly get by with waiting to go ot OB in feb.

This is not true. It varies by state and depends on what type of insurance plan she has. It's not required to be covered until 2014 when the reform law fully goes into effect. 

  This. I'm switching policies under my health insurance, and will have a 1 month lapse in coverage where pregnancy is still considered pre-existing...definitely not in effect yet!

surprise3rd

Nana_Osaki06:

Another option is to go to your state office and get their pregnancy medical. Even if your insurance won't cover your pregnancy due to a pre existing condition then the state will cover it. It's just a suggestion though. Some people think that with the state insurance you get crappy care. That just isn't true. My OB takes state insurance and the whole office is awesome. Just a suggestion.

She may make too much money and not qualify for the state coverage, especially if she is employed full time.  But worth looking into.

JJorstad

AmberMH08:

there is a law now that new insurance policies have to cover you pre existing pregnancy or not...something about discrimination etc etc ... so all good on that... my dr does payment plan i pay 20 a week usually more u can always go to a free clinic in your area for confirmation and they will prolly set you up with prenatal vitamins and that way you could prolly get by with waiting to go ot OB in feb.

 

I just talk to my insurance company about that and that pre existing conditions clause is only for 18 and younger that they can't deny coverage for... I had a year waiting period for pre existing conditions but I pay out of pocket which is different then employers health care they are a lot more picky. But I hope you get something worked out!!! GL

CarolynDouglas2012

AmberMH08:

there is a law now that new insurance policies have to cover you pre existing pregnancy or not...something about discrimination etc etc ... so all good on that... my dr does payment plan i pay 20 a week usually more u can always go to a free clinic in your area for confirmation and they will prolly set you up with prenatal vitamins and that way you could prolly get by with waiting to go ot OB in feb.

This isn't true. My husbands insurance had just kicked in when I was 5 weeks pregnant and they already said that I had a "pre-existing"  condition and wouldn't cover me. USAA (who we have coverage for EVERYTHING else) also wouldn't cover me for the same reason. They all kept telling me that I would have to go through a long term disability insurance company to get coverage. I finally had to call the Medicaid office and because I work full time and make too much I had to jump through hoops for 5 weeks (not exaggerating) in order to get coverage through them.My 1st Dr appointment will be at 11 weeks. Very frustrating. Especially since we were told that my husband' insurance would pick up no problem. I was beyond livid. 

mego1988

Nana_Osaki06:

Another option is to go to your state office and get their pregnancy medical. Even if your insurance won't cover your pregnancy due to a pre existing condition then the state will cover it. It's just a suggestion though. Some people think that with the state insurance you get crappy care. That just isn't true. My OB takes state insurance and the whole office is awesome. Just a suggestion.

 

THIS! I get state care from Medicaid because I am disabled. You can ALWAYS go get covered for pregnancy and most times, the first month of the babies care after. I've always been covered under Medicaid and the hospital clinic I go to (high risk because of my disability) is AMAZING! It is true doctor's who accept it don't get paid as much obviously, but if you find a doctor in the field for the right reasons, that wont matter Hope you get it figured out!  

cocoeubanks

As someone else already said, there are income limits with Medicaid, even for pregnancy coverage (this coming from someone that worked as a Family and Children's Medicaid caseworker for 7 years in North Carolina before moving to Colorado). They're leagues higher than the limits for non-pregnant parents, but there's a fairly good chance a person's income could be too high...

Below is a basic eligibility chart for NC (sorry, that's the only state I'm familiar with). The income limit for 3 (Mom, Dad and unborn baby) is $2857/mo ( $34284/yr). This is gross, not net.

https://www.ncdhhs.gov/dma/medicaid/basicmedelig.pdf

That being said, it's well worth it to contact your local Social Services agency. Besides income limits, pregnancy coverage is one of the easiest and quickest things to qualify for. One tip: when they ask for proof of your pregnancy, please get the form filled out- don't send them your positive pregnancy test stick...effective, yes, but kinda gross

 

mob44mob

Thanks for the info ladies!!  I am really really hoping that my insurance that I get in Feb. will not consider my pregnancy as a pre-existing condition.  If that is the case then I will def have to explore other options. 

 No matter what, I plan on going to the doctor for proper prenatal care.  I am mostly curious about that first appointment.  I am wondering if I should just pay out of pocket or wait until the end of Feb when my insurance kicks in.  I just had a physical and all that jazz before finding out I am pregnant.  I eat healthy and am on prenatals... what else is there?

 Thanks!