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MagPie08
member
twins born at 36 wks
Pg Ladies- medical care in 1st tri?
MagPie08
member
How soon/how often do you see a doc in the 1st Tri? Do you get an ultrasound? What is the 'standard'?
Just curious, in the event we get a BFP next month.?There is a chance we'll have a gap in health care coverage for the month of June (COBRA is always there. . .)
twins born at 36 wks
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Re: Pg Ladies- medical care in 1st tri?
My first doc's office schedules a nurses visit at 8weeks, a doctors visit at 10weeks, and no u/s.
My new doc I already had an appt for somethign else the week I found, then I have had follow ups every two weeks with u/s at each one, but that was because I have had previous losses.
my first scheduled appt was at 8.5 weeks, after that I go over 4 weeks until later in third tri where you go more. First appt -- took history, talked, etc, second appt at 12 wks she listened to h/b with doppler. I had 2 unscheduled u/s for bleeding in the first tri as well. First scheduled u/s was around 12 weeks & that was actually the NT scan which was elective to rule out downs, etc.
I would be VERY careful about switching insurances, a lot of insurances will NOT cover you if you are PG prior to joining (even if no lapse in coverage, if lapse in coverage they wont cover you at all). You are only covered my FMLA if the company you get insurance through qualifies for it.
I got laid off right after I told my boss I was pg - this has caused me a huge headache. Luckily I was given a severance pkg which includes my health insurance through july, but baby isnt due til Nov. I am trying to find other insurance to cover me but NO personal insurance will cover an already pg lady. I am working another angle trying to get insurance through dh, but I dont think they will cover me either. So my back up is that I cobra from july through Nov and cobra is expensive at $1200 per month, but less than a birthing hospital bill.
good luck & stay covered.
usually you go for your first appt at 8 weeks. you prob won't have an u/s until 12 weeks or so, unless you have complications like bleeding. of course, ever practice is different.
be careful with the gap in coverage, though. i don't know what kind of plans you have/will be going to, but some consider pregnancy a preexsisting condition and won't cover it.
Typically you won't go in until 8 weeks. Appointments are then every 4 weeks (unless you need to go more frequently for medical reasons) until the 3rd tri. My doc's practice gives us ultrasounds at every appointment, so I've already had 4 (8, 12, 16, and 20) and will have at least two more (24 and 36 weeks).
As for the gap in coverage, my understanding is that it can't be qualified as a preexisting condition until the pregnancy has been verified by a doctor. Of course you should double check that, but you might be ok if you just don't see a doctor until your new insurance kicks in. However, I don't recommend doing that if it will be much later than 8 weeks along, and you run the risk of having early complications that you would not be able to be seen for.
I had my first appointment at 5 weeks as a follow up appointment, but then I had to have an ultrasound at 6 weeks and 7 weeks to rule out problems or miscarriage. Then my nurse OB appointment at 8 weeks. Next my first Dr appointment at 12 weeks tomorrow.
I had Cigna under DH until Dec 31st then picked up my own hospital/work insurance Jan 1. My insurance company isn't covering anything until they see my certificate of uninterrupted coverage from Cigna....which has yet to come in the mail since I requested it last Monday. :-(
Be VEEEERRRRYYYY cautious about any lapses in coverage. You can be screwed by the insurance companies because of this. I would be super careful and make sure to be covered under insurance if possible not using Cobra. GL!
I thought it was against the law to classify pregnancy as a pre-existing condition. ?Does it vary by state??
Why NOT using Cobra? Is that considered a lapse in coverage???
I thought it was illegal to consider pg a pre-existing condition too(?) I guess you never can assume though.
That is so scary to think all the charges might fall in your lap otherwise! Eeek. Guess I have some homework to do.?Sounds like there may/may not be more involved in 1st tri than I though
I had my first appointment at 8 weeks and then an appointment every 4 weeks. I had an ultrasound at 8 weeks because of complications and another ultrasound at 13 weeks for the NT scan.
I would definitely suggest getting the Cobra if you are going to be without insurance. I think it differs by state, but here most private insurance will not cover maternity. If they do, it is usually very high deductibles (5-10k) and will only cover up to a certain amount (usually up to 10k). In other words, it is a discount program and you still end up paying a nice chunk of the bills. Private insurance also requires a waiting period (usually 6 months to a year). If you can stay on work insurance, that would be your best bet. You can have a 60 day lapse of coverage and pregnancy will not be considered existing. Again, this could change by state so it is best to research your state laws on coverage. Overall, if you are not in a financial state to cover the cost of the pregnancy, I would recommend holding off until you can obtain coverage again.
BFP #3 -mm/c @ 7wks, discovered at 9wks, D&C 9/28
BFP #4 5/29 EDD 2/9 - please be our rainbow