So new to all of this! Help.

JoniU26

I had really irregular periods, so I didn't expect to get pregnant the first month trying. I thought we had at least a couple months, if not longer. And since I was stupid and didn't think it would happen, we hadn't gotten health insurance yet. We were in the process of getting quotes.

SO, now that I AM pregnant, I have no health insurance and feel a bit screwed. I don't know anyone who would insure me now for what I need. Does anyone have any suggestions? What would be the best way to go about things with no insurance?

 Also, I don't have an OBGYN. How did you decide on your OBGYN?

CMor1

You may be able to get help through your state insurance if you are uninsured or if the insurance you get doesn't cover maternity.  Most private plans have a 10 month to 1 year waiting period for maternity benefits anyway, so it's unlikely that you would get coverage anyway if you started your new health insurance now. 

 

kelly321

Many states offer special insurance coverage for pregnant women who don't have insurance. What state are you in?

I'm sure women on here will be happy to give you advice, but I'm going to have to agree with you that that was a pretty irresponsible thing to do. If you're TTC, you have to be emotionally prepared for it to take a while, but you also need to have your financial and other ducks in a row in case you are successful the first cycle (after all, 20% of couples are, so those aren't bad odds). Most insurance will require you to have been with them for 3 months (sometimes even up to a year) before getting pregnant if you want the maternity coverage to kick in. That is probably something you should have checked into before actually TTC. I sincerely hope that you're able to find some state coverage and that you don't have any complications or, God forbid, a preemie who needs NICU time. Those bills can top a million dollars - no exaggeration (I'm sure many states also offer insurance for uninsured kids, but you need to look into that). Get insurance, and get it now.

 

As for finding an OB, most won't see you until you're 8-12 weeks along anyway, so you'll probably have a bit of time. First figure out your insurance, then you can see which OBs in the area are covered. You should also see if you can get recommendations from friends/family or online if you even have a choice as to which OBs you can go to.

Good luck!

jesspomales

As far as finding an OB, you might want to do an online search for "highly recommended OB for (your city and state)" and then look up their credentials. I found mine since she was in my insurance's network. The hospital she works for provides payment packages, which would help with some of the costs. Also, the nurse asked me if I was going to apply for Medicare, which I'm assuming you can do if you don't have insurance. You might want to try looing into that as well.

JoniU26

I'm in Arizona

We DO have aflac, that covers SOME, but not a lot.

FYI, I don't really need to be chastised. I'm WELL aware of my stupidity, and that's punishment enough.  But thanks for the good information... I will look into it. 

PigglyWiggly1

Hey Joni, 

I am in a similar situation. We weren't TTC, but became pregnant anyway. My husband's job offers horrifically expensive benefits that neither of us could afford if we were to jump on this plan, and being self-employed, it has been challenging to find something that is relatively affordable.

Check out www.ehealthinsurance.com and read up on the types of plans that are available to you. It's pretty easy. All you have to do is input your information (age, state, etc) and a list of options will appear for you. 

You can also compare the types of coverage that is available, the pricing and benefits summaries. Good luck!

kelly321

I couldn't help the chastizing, sorry. It would be different if it had been an accidental pregnancy, but anyway, I do want to help, so here's a site that has some good advice for AZ residents:

https://www.lehrmangroup.com/blog/health-insurance-for-pregnant-women-in-arizona/

I don't know what your income level is like (they say the requirements are a little more lenient for pregnant women, so you could make a little more than you otherwise could to qualify), but it sounds like there are some good options if you're low-income.

Good luck!

stephanie6607

The hospital where my obgyn is at has a clinic for pregnant women who do not have insurance. Maybe you could check out some hospitals near you if they offer something like this.

ashdonne

Unless you are going to self-pay which sounds like you aren't since you feel "screwed" you need to wait and either see what OB/GYNs and hospitals are covered under your state plan or under an insurance plan if you find one that will cover the pregnancy at this point.  Good luck to you. 

JoniU26

No, we actually are self-pay. That's why I felt screwed, because its going to be a lot of money. But I feel a bit better after talking to some doctors and calling hospitals. I was actually overexaggerating the cost in my mind, by a lot. We don't qualify for any assistance, so I'm just gonna have to suck it up. Luckily, Maternity Packages are very helpful.

 Thanks for the replies everyone. It's been informative!

MRScarlock2010

Google your state and medicaid healthcare and apply for that but that process takes up to 90 days. I dont know if your state would offer this or not but Indiana offers a program called Presumptive Eligibility that will cover you until you get medicaid so you can get the proper care from early on if needed! If your state offers it you will have to call the healthcare program and find a doctor that is on the list and then you go there and they actually help you sign up for PE there at your first apointment. Hope this helps!