Pregnant Without Insurance - Prescott Valley,AZ

Oh dear.
You're not going to be able to get private insurance. As an insurance agent, I always told people that getting pregnant and then trying to get insurance is like getting into a car accident and then getting insurance to pay to fix your car. It doesn't work that way.
I know it's blunt, but it's true. You can be declined for private insurance for taking an expensive medication every month.
That said, in California, we have a program called AIM. It's especially for pregnant women who make too much money to qualify for medicaid but don't have access to health insurance that covers maternity. They understand the conundrum and they're great. Depending on your financial situation, you may qualify for medicaid that covers only your pregnancy and delivery.

Here is a website for you to check out.

I wish you the very best.

Let us know what happens.

http://www.healthinsurance-help.com/arizona-maternity-hea...

I'm an insurance agent in AZ and although I mostly do home/auto/life, I am familiar with health and can issue it. I don't know of any company that will insure a currently pregnant woman. Its sort of like waiting til the house burns down and then trying to get a homeowners policy. I hope you find something for you but I don't think you will. Good luck.

J.,

You could check into Pregnancy Medicaid in your state, and it is just what it says , for pregnancy ,peroid. Some private ins will accept you as long as you can show proof of coverage prior to your pregnancy. You can also talk to hospital based clinics that may have a reduced rate for self pay patients. Good Luck and have a great pregnancy, C. S.

I hope these links will help. Arizona has a program called Baby Arizona for uninsured pregnant women:

http://azahcccs.gov/community/Downloads/Publications/Baby...

http://www.healthinsurance-help.com/maternity-health-insu...

Good luck, and Congratulations!! =o)

Can you get on COBRA through your husband's previous job--you have something like 90 days to do it--it will likely be expensive but maybe cheaper than the alternative? Also, would you consider a homebirth? I know where I live it is $2000.00 for everything.

Im not certain of AZ law, but no individual policy covers maternity in Texas. You can only get it on a group plan, such as through your employer. Since you dont have that available to you, I would file for Medicaid. See if there is a "buy in" option in your state. Some states will let you buy into Medicaid even if you make too much for Medicaid.

Oh another option is through a state or county funded womens clinic. THey are often income based and have a sliding fee scale.

When I was pregnant with my first, 23 years ago, all there was was high deductible insurance. My OB billed everything after the delivery. Since this was the norm with high deductible then I am sure it is now.

You are not going to be able to find any insurance now for less than your actual costs. Think about it, I will pay you $1,000 if you pay out $7,650, not going to happen.

Check out medicaid. I know that you are both employed, but many states have programs to help out expectant moms without insurance. At the very least, they can direct you to a program that you do qualify for. (Since they do recognize the value of early and appropriate pre-natal care). In Utah, it's through workforce services, but we always just googled utah medicaid to find the info.
Also, check with your works' insurance. I've never heard of two deductibles for a pregnancy, even with the two calendar years. And look around for another doctor who bills it as one event, may do.

I would check with the state. State insurance requires an income below a specific amount and with both of you working you may not qualify but it won't hurt to ask.

I suggest that even if you find insurance you won't be covered because your pregnancy is a preexisting condition. State insurance could be an exception. It's geared towards low income moms. However, it's my understanding that the state of Oregon does provide coverage for anyone not eligible to be covered by group insurance. Check to see AZ has that coverage.

Just an idea. My daughter has a 2 month old baby. She had most of her prenatal care and a home delivery with a midwife and the cost was a whole lot less. She is very pleased with the care she received all along, including the post natal check ups.

I was apprehensive about a home birth but now that I've been involved I'm all for it. It's so much more relaxed and feels so much better. The midwives have had lots of experience. There were 3 of them for the delivery. They would've sent her to the hospital if there had been any indication of difficulty. They came with equipment and warmth.

You might want to check with the state and see what kinds of programs that they have for pregnant women. When I got pregnant with my twins I had my insurance through work (very high deductible 10,000 a year) and my husband is self-employed but I still qualified, because the rate for being pregnant is that you can have a much higher income for the program, well this is for Minnesota so I don't know if most states are the same.

That seems to be really cheap for the hospital charge and even the doctor charge. You might want to fully look into it, and if it is so when you are at the hospital tell the nurses and such that you are paying out of your pocket and they will do their best to help minimize the bill.

I would tell your doctor that you don't have insurance and ask what it would cost to pay cash at each visit. Your doctor will be happy to take cash and I'm sure he/she will charge you less than the "sticker" price. This is not uncommon, and it's becoming even more common with the state of unemployment, so talk to your doctor's office and go from there. When I was single I had to do this a few times and it was way cheaper. Plus, hospitals will also work with you if you are paying cash. You can bargain with them and get it even lower, but even without bargaining you won't have to pay the total that is listed on the bill.

If you are healthy go with a midwife and have your baby at home or at a birth center. Total for all prenatal care, the birth, care for the baby and postpartum care for 6 weeks should not cost you more than 3-4000 and many times even less than that. I have had two homebirths. My first one the total was 1800.00 and included labs too. My second one was around 2500.00 total. Research has proven that birth with a midwife is safer and healthier for you and the baby.

Good luck.

Does your state not have any supplimental insurance that you can apply for?

Midwives are cheaper, safer and TONS more woman friendly. I'd start searching for them once you find out you are pregnant.

I'd apply for pregnancy medicaid as SOON as you are sure you are pregnant!!

We paid off all tree of our births little by little. The hospital will be very fair with you for payments, they may have an out of pocket discount, and there is no skyrocketing interest. If you can find insurance, great, but this is America. Only the rich or people with very specific types of employment or spouses with such employment deserve stress free pregnancies. You can still have your healthy child and good care, you'll just be paying for a long time. You're not the only one! Congrats on your pregnancy, all our kids are worth it, and at age 5 for my oldest, we're done paying for all three including one emergency c section. The sacrifices we've made financially have all been good for us as a family, and we like the simple life. Don't get me wrong though, would have moved to Canada or France in a heartbeat if it was in our budget-we could have used all that money for the future rather than the past, but again, we love our babies and feel SO grateful :)

Congrats!

I believe a pregnancy is a "O. time shabang" charge--at the end. I think you're wrong about the 2500 in 2011 and 2500 in 2012 idea.
Start saving now so you can pay it when it happens.

I'm sure your Ob office manager can explain to you what you will need to pay out of pocket.

sounds like you can talk to the Dr and arrange a payment plan..you can also talk to the hospital and see what you can do for payment arrangements.

I don't know of many insurances that have maternity on them....sorry!! call around!!

I understand about your work insurance - that sucks that they have the deductible set up like that... i would go ahead and use it - take care of the deductible with the Dr via a payment plan and at least let the insurance cover $250 of it..

sorry I don't have better advice for you!

How about pregnancy insurance? There is a company called AIM in Ca that does sliding scale for moms and really helps! Check them out and see if they are in your area. Congrats!

M

All great suggestions so far. I would add this to what has already been said. When I had my son my insurance only covered me and not the baby (how stupid was that). So I went home with a brand new healthy baby boy and a bill for over $6,000. I paid that bill to the various doctors and hospital in installments and by the time my son was 5, he was paid for free and clear.

;-) Also check into what your state may offer in the way for healthcare they may have something that covers your situation.

can you apply for chip perintal ?

Tori H. is right that many doctors will charge less if you are paying cash. It is at least worth asking the doctor about. Just call the doctor's office and ask to speak to someone about billing.

The women who suggested a mid-wife instead of a doctor are right about that usually costing much less. Mid-wives are well trained and a perfectly safe alternative to using a doctor. And you don't have to have a home delivery with a mid-wife. You can have the baby at a birthing center instead of at home. Personally I think birthing centers are nice safe option in case there is an emergency. But I'm a worrier...

Congrats on your baby. I wish you and hubby all the best!

You should be able to qualify for Medical Assistance. However I thought it was against the law to not cover pregnancy. Contact your state's insurance commisioner. You should also contact a women's rights group, such as NOW.

Wow ! that is really cheap!

Oh I am betting that is the charge for the room in the hospital and not for staff help, meds or anything else, if i remember correctly they charged 50.50 dollars me every time a nurse came in to check progression (progression is having them stick 2 fingers up me and see if I have reached 10 cms yet...they cam in to check every 30 minutes and I labored 8 hours in the hospital... so 808 dollars for that!). Cost us a total of 40,000 dollars. Even though I didn't have an epidural I got charged 102 dollars for a anesthesiologist to come in and "consult" me explaining what a epidural was.

Also care for jr will cost you too. You can have jr added the day s/he is born, but not before (love abortion laws... because of them the laws changed on that some time in the 80's...). Have the paperwork to add jr on you and ask to use the fax machine as soon as the birth happens. it will save you moola and using the fax is free usually... go figure!

I found a birthing center with our 2nd and the total cost without insurance was under 5000 dollars. The whole thing (precare, birth and post) was a pre-payment thing so if I had your insurance I would have paid 2500 total.