I have one newborn outfit so far, so right now that's the one he's coming home in, lol.
DH finally has a date for his lasik surgery! March 14. Yay. We're having to travel 3 hours away to another military post for all of his appts and surgery so it's been a lot of driving. He's so excited. I'm excited for him too, and a little jealous. I can't get lasik because my eyes are so bad. The kids now think he's going to have lasers shooting from his eyes lol.
I have so much to say about August's UO, but I'll limit myself to- I had a doula with my first and it was amazing. Long story short, baby went into distress and we thought we were going to lose her. They wouldn't let DH into the OR until they were ready and I was freaking out. The doula was allowed to accompany me and kept me calm and made a very traumatic experience much easier. Definitely worth the $500 we paid for her.
What got me the most riled about their UO was the mention on insurance and being a consumer of healthcare. Making choices based on cost and "shopping around." This might be an UO but we NEED single payer healthcare. Healthcare should not be a commodity that is consumed. It is a basic human need. There is no reason that one person should have to pay more or have to decide not to have a procedure because they have different insurance or can't afford it.
For example, we were on MH's insurance last year. We crunched all the numbers with different situations and adding the baby to figure out what plan would be best for us and decided to switch both of us to my insurance. Last year I had a glaucoma test and it was billed to MH's insurance at ~$450. I got the explanation of benefits and it said they found a "discount from the provider" so I only owed $140. I had a follow up test in January. Exact same test, exact same provider. It was billed to our new insurance at $360 but there was no "discount for the provider" so I owe $330 because they only covered the exam portion.
There is no way you could figure out what your coverage would be for each and every procedure that might come up in the year to figure out what plan will better suit your needs. Also, both plans are high deducible HSA plans. It's incredibly frustrating and complete and utter bullshit that they think we need to be "consumers" of healthcare because even when you try to you get screwed.
*maybe should have put this in the rants because that was longer than I anticipated.
*TW LC*
Me & MH: 32 DS: 6/1/18 (Pre-E; IUGR; seizures; NICU) TTC #2: 12/2019 Sept 2020: HSG possible blocked right tube Nov 2020: Letrozole + TI - BFN Dec 2020: Letrozole + TI - BFP!!! EDD 9/18
Oh, August....so much drama, man. I got pretty ragey and I think it boiled over into my mood today. I totally lost my shit when I found out my hospital had installed a new screener machine, so everyone has to walk through it before they can go on to their appointment or whatever hospital business they have. It isn't a metal detector because you carry all your stuff through. However, they aren't even screening everyone who comes in. It is do dumb...it is one of those things that is just supposed to make you "feel safe." There's no way it would stop anyone from carrying out an attack, if that's what they want to do. I just felt so irrationally pissed about it, then cried out of frustration through my whole ultrasound.
@krashke YES! As someone who lost a parent because of "costs," I think it is unfortunate that people should have to endure long-term suffering and/or DIE because of "costs."
@krashke I come from the U.K. so this whole health insurance thing blows my mind.
*TW*
Still paying off the hospital bill for my D&C last April, and it just gets me so angry and upset every time I think that something like that (a 10 minute procedure) cost me thousands. I'll probably still be making payments by the time bub arrives, and I feel bitter that I'll always have a sad reminder of what we lost when we should be enjoying what we have, when our baby is in our arms.
*end TW*
Our deductible is $4400 and that's considered good insurance through MH's employer.
Fun fact: did you know that it costs less to deliver at the private hospital that Kate Middleton goes to than it does for the average patient here? Don't care if most of it is billed to the insurance company here, still blows my mind. (St. Mary's in London charges $8,000 for first night, regular birth; $10,000 for CS. US hospitals charge $40k on average.)
@krashke@kfren I was surprised she didn't get more vehement pushback. I think it is ridiculous that people have to decide if and how to treat themselves based on what they can afford.
@Austenista I don't know if maybe there was just so much tension that nobody wanted to rock the boat any further or what. I know I was white-knuckled for awhile, though.
@kfren I'm really sorry to hear that... It's stories like yours that make me want to go back to the U.K. and feel immensely blessed that I have such a luxury to do so.
I'm sorry for your loss and that you are continuing to have to pay for your procedure. It really is a shame that it costs so much to lose a pregnancy. I didn't require medical assistance, but the lab work, u/s, rhogam shot, and doctor's visits alone cost nearly half of my deductible (which reset a few months later,) and wiped out my HSA funds. A blighted ovum cost me nearly as much as my entire next full-term pregnancy.
ETA: I just saw your first response. Thanks. I lost my mom 25 years ago and I am still bitter that the blood-thinner that could have possibly prevented her death was not administered because we were at a university hospital and they weren't going to get paid for it.
I didn't make through the whole thing, because I hadn't had coffee and could feel my blood pressure rising, lol. I'm not getting that invested in their post lol
@Austenista I think she didn't get pushback because most people don't understand insurance, so they just kind of ignored her - given everything else that was going on. I'm one of those people that is trying to figure out my insurance and I'm realizing my new firm is super-crappy when it comes to support staff. Attorneys have so many more perks.
@krashke coming in late to this but yes re: single payer and more importantly, exactly what are people abusing the healthcare system by getting? Like... cosmetic plastic surgery isn’t covered. So, are we talking wellness visits? OH THE AUDACITY! Lol seriously v confused about wtf she thinks people are doing, but also would love to see her try to get a straight answer about what a hospital stay will cost. There’s a great video of a dad (I think Vox did it?) trying to shop around prices for a hospital for his wife to deliver at and lol it’s not a thing they’ll tell you.
I was also very confused about her insurance rant.. like she said people shouldn't be getting services that they wouldn't pay out of their own pocket for? But I pay for my insurance so am I supposed to just not use it?
Re: Here Ye Here Ye, Come and Get Your Randoms! (2/19)
DH finally has a date for his lasik surgery! March 14. Yay. We're having to travel 3 hours away to another military post for all of his appts and surgery so it's been a lot of driving. He's so excited. I'm excited for him too, and a little jealous. I can't get lasik because my eyes are so bad. The kids now think he's going to have lasers shooting from his eyes lol.
I had a doula with my first and it was amazing. Long story short, baby went into distress and we thought we were going to lose her. They wouldn't let DH into the OR until they were ready and I was freaking out. The doula was allowed to accompany me and kept me calm and made a very traumatic experience much easier. Definitely worth the $500 we paid for her.
For example, we were on MH's insurance last year. We crunched all the numbers with different situations and adding the baby to figure out what plan would be best for us and decided to switch both of us to my insurance. Last year I had a glaucoma test and it was billed to MH's insurance at ~$450. I got the explanation of benefits and it said they found a "discount from the provider" so I only owed $140. I had a follow up test in January. Exact same test, exact same provider. It was billed to our new insurance at $360 but there was no "discount for the provider" so I owe $330 because they only covered the exam portion.
There is no way you could figure out what your coverage would be for each and every procedure that might come up in the year to figure out what plan will better suit your needs. Also, both plans are high deducible HSA plans. It's incredibly frustrating and complete and utter bullshit that they think we need to be "consumers" of healthcare because even when you try to you get screwed.
*maybe should have put this in the rants because that was longer than I anticipated.
DS: 6/1/18 (Pre-E; IUGR; seizures; NICU)
TTC #2: 12/2019
Sept 2020: HSG possible blocked right tube
Nov 2020: Letrozole + TI - BFN
Dec 2020: Letrozole + TI - BFP!!! EDD 9/18
TLDR: I'm in a glass case of emotion.
*TW*
Still paying off the hospital bill for my D&C last April, and it just gets me so angry and upset every time I think that something like that (a 10 minute procedure) cost me thousands. I'll probably still be making payments by the time bub arrives, and I feel bitter that I'll always have a sad reminder of what we lost when we should be enjoying what we have, when our baby is in our arms.
*end TW*
Our deductible is $4400 and that's considered good insurance through MH's employer.
Fun fact: did you know that it costs less to deliver at the private hospital that Kate Middleton goes to than it does for the average patient here? Don't care if most of it is billed to the insurance company here, still blows my mind. (St. Mary's in London charges $8,000 for first night, regular birth; $10,000 for CS. US hospitals charge $40k on average.)
***TW - MC/loss mentioned***
I'm sorry for your loss and that you are continuing to have to pay for your procedure.
It really is a shame that it costs so much to lose a pregnancy. I didn't require medical assistance, but the lab work, u/s, rhogam shot, and doctor's visits alone cost nearly half of my deductible (which reset a few months later,) and wiped out my HSA funds. A blighted ovum cost me nearly as much as my entire next full-term pregnancy.
ETA: I just saw your first response. Thanks. I lost my mom 25 years ago and I am still bitter that the blood-thinner that could have possibly prevented her death was not administered because we were at a university hospital and they weren't going to get paid for it.
***end TW***
I didn't read it like that before, but now I will!
Me: 30 | DH: 34 | DSS: 14 | DS: 4
PG #2, EDD 10/12/2023
DS: 6/1/18 (Pre-E; IUGR; seizures; NICU)
TTC #2: 12/2019
Sept 2020: HSG possible blocked right tube
Nov 2020: Letrozole + TI - BFN
Dec 2020: Letrozole + TI - BFP!!! EDD 9/18
Married August 2015
DS born 5/23/2018
TTC #2 July 2020