https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 09 May 2026 22:07:05 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-experience-with-a-newborn-on-a-high-deductible-insurance-plan#post-812871 Tue, 28 May 2013 11:14:10 +0000 T.H.O.U. 812871@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Revel: Nope, I'm paying a very small amount on some of ours and oh well if I just have to pay for the rest of my life! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-experience-with-a-newborn-on-a-high-deductible-insurance-plan#post-812865 Tue, 28 May 2013 11:12:57 +0000 Revel 812865@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: Ha ha, is it terrible that this is exactly how I've been hedging the bet on if we do go with the high deductible? Knowing that we could set up basically a forever payment plan with them... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-experience-with-a-newborn-on-a-high-deductible-insurance-plan#post-812860 Tue, 28 May 2013 11:11:08 +0000 T.H.O.U. 812860@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Revel: Well the nice thing is that the $3,500 would come as a bill from the hospital. You don't have to pay it all at once (aka depleting your savings) and as long as you are making payments on the bill they can't collect interest or send to collections. So you could take 2-5 years to pay that off if you wanted. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-experience-with-a-newborn-on-a-high-deductible-insurance-plan#post-812850 Tue, 28 May 2013 11:08:58 +0000 Revel 812850@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@scg00387: Thanks for your perspective. I think it would be an easier decision if we already had any sunk costs into the deductible, but it's a brand new plan for SO.</p> <p>@T.H.O.U.: This is what I'm wondering about, particularly being first time parents - what about an ER visit or something larger than standard care and doctor visits.</p> <p>The situation essentially would be that if we had to take LO to the ER:</p> <p>High deductible: we would be on the hook for about $3500 and then would be 100% covered for everything for the year.</p> <p>PPO: ER visit is $100 - everything is 100% covered after copays. We'd still pay copays for dr visits and any other future ER visits. BUT, we are guaranteed to pay out the $3500 and then some over the course of the year in premiums out of my check on a biweekly basis. </p> <p>That's why I termed it a gamble with the high deductible plan. We might come out ahead if we, for example, had no ER visits. We would be able to cover the $3500 if necessary, but it would be a hit to our savings. </p> <p>Man, insurance is tough! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-experience-with-a-newborn-on-a-high-deductible-insurance-plan#post-812745 Tue, 28 May 2013 10:39:01 +0000 T.H.O.U. 812745@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Revel: I would totally go for a PPO. My LO ended up in the ER twice and admitted once. We had just started paying off her delivery and then were hit with these two bills. But we had a high bill because even after we met our deductible, they only covered 80%. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-experience-with-a-newborn-on-a-high-deductible-insurance-plan#post-812641 Tue, 28 May 2013 10:05:06 +0000 immabeetoo 812641@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It is a gamble to go with high deductible but it's been fine for us. I was pregnant march-november of 2012 and racked up a ton of prenatal expenses with extra ultrasounds, then of course my delivery. So far we have only had routine baby visits and fingers crossed we'll have a super healthy baby without any other charges this year in 2013 :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-experience-with-a-newborn-on-a-high-deductible-insurance-plan#post-812575 Tue, 28 May 2013 09:45:59 +0000 Revel 812575@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MusicaV: Thanks for chiming in! The high deductible plan is new at his work and starts in June, and for him is essentially the only option, so we'd be starting from scratch on the deductible.</p> <p>We are on separate plans. I believe if we add her to his plan we're committing to that for the year. If we add her to mine, annual enrollment is in the fall so I could potentially make changes then, but wouldn't be able to add her to his until the following June. I don't think we can add her to his high deductible plan and then take her off if we change our minds, but I could be wrong. That's a good question to ask, thanks. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-experience-with-a-newborn-on-a-high-deductible-insurance-plan#post-812528 Tue, 28 May 2013 09:32:44 +0000 MusicaV 812528@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a high deductible plan but so far I've racked up the most dollars this year (and last, with the pregnancy). Are you and your SO on each other's plans or just your own? If the coverage is comparable, I would probably gamble with the high deductible. I would also check with your HR to make sure you can add her to your plan later if you change your mind. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-experience-with-a-newborn-on-a-high-deductible-insurance-plan#post-812366 Tue, 28 May 2013 08:43:33 +0000 Revel 812366@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Does anyone have experience with healthcare for a newborn/through the first year of life on a high deductible insurance plan? </p> <p>I'm due next week and we have the option of putting the baby on my plan (a standard PPO with copays and very good coverage) or SO's high deductible plan. Basically, cost of adding the baby to my plan is about equal to our potential exposure under the high deductible plan, so we're really wondering about whether the "gamble" on the high deductible plan is worth it. I understand that vaccinations and well visits are covered, so we'd really be looking at a potential big hit if we ended up in the ER or had some kind of serious condition, but would ultimately not be out of pocket more than we are guaranteed to pay by putting her on the PPO.</p> <p>Anyone have any thoughts or experience with cost of care on one of these plans in the first year? </p>