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Military Families
beccabride2be
member
getting out while pregnant, what to do about health insurance?
beccabride2be
member
Hi ladies, this is kind of urgent. My DH is active duty AF and he got a phone call from his dad last night, basically a cry for help, for DH to get out and come help him with his 2 restaurant businesses ASAP. He has been having issues with his managers and is now having to do the business side PLUS the managing side and its wearing him out. We were planning on not re-enlisting at the end of his term (3 years) and go work for his Dad, but now its possible we will be out very soon.
I am 6 weeks pregnant, and i read that if you voluntary separate while pregnant Tricare will NOT cover the maternity care. So if that's true i need to find a health insurance ASAP that will start covering my care. Could anyone recommend an insurance that maybe they had before having Tricare? Or any information you think might be helpful in this case. TIA!
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Re: getting out while pregnant, what to do about health insurance?
I did not know you could just tell the AF bye when you wanted to esp. after just one year of a contract. But either way good luck!
Do you work? I don't know a whole lot about your financial situation, but you could always look into something like Medicaid. Under most circumstances they'll cover your pregnancy if you are without insurance.
Actually I think that's illegal now, I believe Obama passed some new law preventing this from happening anymore.
AMEN! I wish people would treat being in the Military more seriously! I mean come on you can't just wake up one day and say "hmmmm I want to change careers today, screw the oath I made and the contract I signed!"
The law was cosponsored by Kennery (D-MA) and Kassenbaum (R-KS).
As for the OP, your husband is SOL. Per my DH (a Chief Master Seargent E9), other than pissing on the Commanders desk, there is little he can do to get out. But then he would have a dishonorable discharge that will follow him around forever.
HOWEVER, if you do get kicked out, you may be eligible for Medicaid while you are pregnant, as long as your income is lower than a specific amount (depends on the state) or you self insure.
That only applies to group health plans, not private. Also group health plans can make you wait out a waiting period before pregnancy is covered.
As someone who left AD early (2.5 years into a 4 year contract) under the AF's FY2011 Voluntary Force Shaping program, and then accelerated my separation date to go help my mother (who, BTW, has cancer, not a struggling business), I can appreciate both wanting to separate and wanting to help family. However, I would like to ask you about how you even came to the decision that it would be a good idea. Your FIL calls upset one night, and your DH is ready to uproot his family to go help? I know your DH isn't making tons of money right now, but it is a steady paycheck with superb health coverage. What about the needs of YOUR family right now?
When my DH and I were discussing my separation, it wasn't a spur of the moment decision. It was a thoughtful discussion of the advantages/disadvantages to staying in vs getting out. I also separated through a program that was designed to let people go who wanted to so that hopefully fewer people who wanted to stay would be forced out. Generally, you can't just say "I want out" and be let go.
Well first of all it is not a SPUR of the moment decision. We have been talking about this for a LONG time waiting for an opportunity to change our lives for the better. We have discussed this over and over and we have tried finding a special duty for him to do so he can get away from the flight line but nothing is working out. And we have been in for 3 years,(he signed up for 6 thinking it would be great) but he has hated every moment of it. He is a crew chief which you may not know but that is one of the worst jobs you can have.
There are ways to get out by voluntary separating. There are numerous reasons that could qualify someone that is wanting to get out. Would you honestly tell me that if your DH was so depressed, he hated life and wanted to make a change, and go do something he know he'll be happy doing and make MORE money to provide better for his family than being in the military that he could not get out???? I think not.
I have a part time job at a retailer, and i just learned about Medicaid from my boss. Thank you.
I would expect my H to fulfill his contract that he took an oath for. My H was just like yours and in pain all the time from the job that he was doing, but he knew he had a obligation to complete. After getting hurt in Iraq, his was passed over for promotions even though he worked his azz off. I'm sorry he needs to suck it up, and if he joined the military for the $$ he joined for the wrong reasons. And I do not see how going from a stable income to working at a failing business is going to help. The military is not highschool that if you do not fit in you just move to something new, deal with it.
No it's not, not by a long shot.
Look, Cupcake, you're getting some excellent and realistic advice here. It's not what you want to hear, but it's the truth. While your H may be able to voluntarily separate due to force shaping, you need to be prepared to hear that the Air Force won't let him out early.
And for what it's worth, no way no how would my H even consider leaving our family without insurance because he didn't like his job. Neither would I, for that matter. Sucking it up and dealing for the greater good sometimes is part of being an adult. In your shoes I'd put the best spin possible on the next three years of his contract and spend that time preparing for him to help his dad out with the business when he's eligible to ETS.
Have you run the numbers for what your DH would be making? Including health coverage, dental, and life insurance costs? What about furthering his education? The military provides monies for that, in addition to the GI Bill (once qualified), will there be anything like that with his father?
As for health insurance, start googling providers in the state where you are considering moving. Would you insure just you, or would you get a plan for both you and your DH? What about when the baby is born?
Honestly, I think that there are a lot of factors involved in trying to decide to separate early from the AF. Sure, there might be some positives to him getting out, but what will his long term plan be? What happens if the family businesses go under? What will your DH do then for a career? What about you?
I was ADAF, and I can tell you a crew chief is definitely not one of the worst jobs you can have.
Just out of curiosity, what method of separation does he hope to use to skip out of his oath of enlistment?
I understand where you are coming from, but talking about it and being in a financial position to make it happen is two separate things. A lot of us have been married to or in the military for a long time (10 years here) and seeing people separate for voluntary reasons isn't something that you see often. Mostly, because unless there is a need the military has invested tax dollars into training the military member and especially in these times the government isn't letting people out just because. Again I don't think anyone is trying to get down on your choice, just trying to be realistic about your options.
I was wondering that too. Why can't your FIL just hire someone? It's his business and if he needs help, he needs to hire someone. Why ask your DH? This makes me feel like your FIL does not respect his son's military commitment and makes me wonder his motive is for asking. Can he not trust anyone else? Should have considered that when he opened or purchased the business. Doesn't want to go through the hassle of hiring? Again, should have considered this previously. Hoping he won't have to pay a family member as much??? That wouldn't be good for you. To me, it just SCREAMS the word "shady" that a father would ask his son to leave the military which is a huge commitment. Honestly, it really makes little sense. And like others have said, be prepared to be told "no".
SOME states allow for medicaid for pregnant women who have no other insurance. Some do not. Maternity care and delivery is expensive even with good civilian insurance. Tricare is awesome when it comes to having babies :-P
Cam 6.6.10 - Autism, Global Developmental Delay, Mixed Receptive/Expressive Communication Disorder
I think the bigger question is do you (the OP) really think your DH will be able to get out of his contract fast enough for it to matter?
Yes, waiting for the remaining years of the contract to be completed is going to be hard...but it's not as if your DH will be able to "get out" within the next 30 days or even 6 months.
Life your FIL's business or stress level is that tenuous, 6 months will be too long dontcha think? It would be easier to hire someone, even a part timer.
And again, just because the Sir Force is kulling it's ranks, they are not going to just ignore the contract of a healthy airman. Not when there are still govenrment benefits said airman can use, costing the government money.
As a veteran myself I would tell my husband he needs to fulfill his commitment! it seems to me like he has been looking for an easy way out and thinks he found one. Well I dont believe he has just because he isn't happy! I cant believe that you are even trying to justify this the Military is not a part time job!!!
Yeah, I can think of way worse jobs. And if my H were that depressed with being a crew chief, I think I would get him into mental health rather than encourage him to leave early.
However, if YH hates it that much, then yeah, get out. Leave the slot for someone who gives a fig.
If you meet the requirements, you can buy an extension to Tricare. It is sort of like COBRA for military. It is expensive but better then nothing. I don't know if you would have meet the requirements or not but you might want to ask.
https://www.tricare.mil/mybenefit/ProfileFilter.do;jsessionid=PwsJgh6qnJpypk1VgCt5rb6W394y8BTYQz9wvqlGnFTnTRb4G0SW!-541484568?puri=/home/overview/SpecialPrograms/CHCBP
Sorry I am on a mac and can't make it clicky. I googled continued health care benefits program and it was the first link.
HA. I'm curious to know what jobs you've held in the AF to make such an assertion.
Ask your FIL what kind of health insurance he's going to provide now that he'll be your DH's employer. Problem solved!
Or, your DH can suck it up, stay in, and you two can do right by your kid and make sure they're covered by Tricare until the ACTUAL end of his term, and then decide from there.
LOL. No offense, but plenty of us here have been affiliated with the military for almost as long as you've been alive, so you won't win any points by assuming that your DH has the worst job in the AF and we just don't know your life and how tough it is.
This thread is almost amusing.
OP, you are both being ridiculous. Separating from the military for no legit reason is an outrageously irresponsible, selfish thing to do. Obviously your DH joined for the money, because I know damn well that my husband wouldn't just walk away from his unit to 'save a failing business"....and that's because he cares about more than the bonus he got for enlisting....He took an oath and he plans on sticking with it.
I think I'd personally be pretty p.o'd if DH even considered doing what your DH is planning. How much risk is he willing to take? I highly doubt he can singlehandedly save your FIL's business, which means in a few short months after he separates, your bank account will be empty and the military won't be there to provide you with a steady paycheck (and much needed health insurance and prenatal care) that you've been able to count on in the past.
And once that business fails, how is your DH planning on finding a job with a Dishonorable Discharge on his record? How will he explain that to his future employers? "I signed a contract but decided the job was too hard so I quit."
Yep. I'd want to hire him.....not.
I really hope that he's just having a spur of the moment brain fart before he realizes that he's committed to the military and that commitment isn't easily broken.
Oh, and my husband is a crew chief (Army, but regardless) and he loves it. If he was showing signs of depression, I'd attempt to help him get into counseling....something your DH won't be able to do without TriCare on his side.
OP, your post is mind blowing.
Very good point. No job in the US is completely economy-proof right now, but the military is about as stable as you can get. If my husband wanted to voluntarily separate to go help in an already struggling business, while I was pregnant, I would have his head examined.
If is this how he treats this job, what are you going to do when he gets tired of the next. There comes a time when an employeer is going to say by how many jobs one has had.
I agree with most of what you said, but being a crew chief in the AF is more of a mech job than it is in the MC/USN/Army (although I know every crew chief is also a mech), so I can see not loving it per se. I'm with you on getting OP's H counseling.
Also, the military is doing a lot of voluntary sep for people right now, so I don't think OP's H will get a dishonorable, BCD, or really even a general. And a dishonorable is actually kind of hard to get, lol. I would really love for someone who loves the Air Force to get OP's H's spot, rather than have him stay in, promote, and poison the minds of young Airmen.
You dont need to be court martialed to get a dishonroable. I have seen plenty of soldiers ( Army so maybe thats the difference) that got dishonorable or other then honorable. All i can say to OP is tell your husband to be careful!
Other Than Honorable is an administrative discharge. Dishonorable is a punitive discharge. Two totally different processes.
Denise Mancini
Disclaimer: I work for AccuQuote and this is my personal opinion.
Um um um. No promoting your business on the boards.