https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 26 Apr 2026 23:29:17 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled/page/2#post-1362947 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 22:08:03 +0000 wonderstruck 1362947@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Sketchbook: Yes, it does! Good luck to both of us :) It's our first month temping in addition to using ovulation tests, so fingers crossed! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled#post-1362814 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 20:55:40 +0000 honeybear 1362814@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Sketchbook: The premiums are based on where you live. The subsidies are based on income and they're set at the national level. There probably is a plan that is around $600/month in your area, but it is almost certainly an HMO with a highly restricted network (and some of them might have really high deductibles). The restricted network may not be a downside, but if you hope to use a particular hospital or doctor, it is something to pay particular attention to, because you're paying full fare if you go out of network in an HMO. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled#post-1362647 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 19:52:33 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 1362647@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@jedeve: if I could find one for 600 I would be all on that. That is how much we pay now (for our premium)! I'll log on again and see. If t is the federal exchange I don't see how the plans could be different. Maybe it is income? But honestly we don't bring in that much money! Still we only qualified for 8 dollars in tax credit a month per person so around 130 a year. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled#post-1362630 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 19:48:13 +0000 jedeve 1362630@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's funny....we had a baby one calendar year and are having another in the next. It will be drastically cheaper for us post ACA! But our premium plan only costs $600 a month. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled#post-1362563 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 18:59:12 +0000 deactivated_account 1362563@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@scg00387: I haven't really ever found insurance to be too confusing. But yea... all my friends had their premiums and co-pays drastically go up. One girl was looking on the exchange or whatever its called, but because of the zipcode in which she lived, that exchange insurance was also going to be so expensive. We all pay so much in student loans and there's no way to factor that into anything. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled#post-1362562 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 18:58:27 +0000 MrsH 1362562@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: right there with you on getting pregnant in one year and birthing in the next. So not happy to likely meet our high deductible in January :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled#post-1362558 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 18:54:47 +0000 lilyofthewest 1362558@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: Ah, that's helpful! It looks like there's some prenatal labwork and testing that's covered, but, it is pretty slim list compared to the things many providers routinely request. I can see that adding up pretty quick. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled#post-1362551 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 18:52:32 +0000 immabeetoo 1362551@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm hoping we get pregnant soon so everything is in one calendar year and deductible! Health insurance is confusing :(@MrsMcD: that's too bad! I don't know anyone who is affected negatively by it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled#post-1362535 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 18:42:08 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 1362535@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Jump Rope: Right now I think we will just stick to the plan we are on until March (when my due date would officially be in 2014), and hope that an extension passes. Once March is up, we will probably switch to an ACA plan since our old one will have expired by the time the hypothetical baby is born. Talking to someone is probably a good idea although since hubby is an atty I usually just trust his judgement vs someone who was hired only a few months ago! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled#post-1362519 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 18:35:54 +0000 deactivated_account 1362519@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Sketchbook: Year after year my insurance has been amazing! This year, totally down the tubes for everyone I know who isn't saved by an exempt state or county agency. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled#post-1362504 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 18:31:05 +0000 Mrs. Jump Rope 1362504@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Sketchbook: this is definitely very confusing!</p> <p>Can you call customer service and ask questions before committing to a plan? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled#post-1362501 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 18:29:04 +0000 Mae 1362501@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Sketchbook: eh, is what it is unfortunately. Every year of my adult life my insurance coverage has gotten worse and I have paid more for it! I guess this year is sort of the exception because we're paying (a bit, not a ton) more but we're actually getting a lot more due to ACA (I'm so grateful for well visits being covered at 100%-- my friends who had babies just a few years ago paid so much more than I am! Not to mention the fact that before I was married I didn't even HAVE maternity coverage, it was unavailable to me!). But I assume things will just continue the downward slide again from this point until people finally realize how heartily we're all being screwed by insurance companies. Which by my estimation, will take a while, as people seem apt to blame every source except the big businesses screwing us for the fact that we're being screwed. :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled#post-1362500 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 18:28:14 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 1362500@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@wonderstruck: sounds like our timelines are identical! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled#post-1362496 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 18:27:45 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 1362496@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsMcD: Thanks for the love! Sometimes I feel like I must sound insane because I know most people are happy about their changes. For us it has been frustrating. DH works for a small company and his insurance is very bad-- high deductible, high premium, and a coinsurance of 70/30. It isn't an option for us. Since I SAH, DS and I have been doing a private plan. Actually before that I was on COBRA; literally COBRA at my old job was better than his. Once COBRA ran out, we got on this new plan. The private plan we had wasn't without its drawbacks (like a waiting period, but DS was only 2 months old when we signed up so I didn't mind waiting until he was 14 months to start TTC). We have invested a lot of money in it and it really frustrates me that we may never get to use it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled#post-1362485 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 18:21:41 +0000 deactivated_account 1362485@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Sketchbook: I totally understand your issue. My brother-in-law works for a huge corporation and his insurance went WAY up this year. They are hoping to have another baby this year and wouldn't even be able to afford the copay since it went from something like $3,000.00 to $25,000. (The family out-of-pocket deductibles are grouped together.) They can no longer afford insurance through his work. Thankfully my sister works for the state and her insurance wasn't affected by all of the recent federal changes. My husband also works for the county so I am able to go on his insurance (which also wasn't affected) since my private insurance also went through the roof. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled#post-1362477 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 18:17:52 +0000 wonderstruck 1362477@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This all confuses the crap out of me.</p> <p>When I quit my job I temporarily went back on my mom's insurance...and ended up staying on it because she has a $500 deductible as opposed to the 3k one I had on my own. It runs out in December since I turn 26 this year, so yeah...I really need to get pregnant soon. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled#post-1362457 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 18:10:40 +0000 honeybear 1362457@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lilyofthewest: I know because I've studied the plans being offered on the exchange. In general, certain prenatal tests are covered with no copay/coinsurance, but in many cases, for prenatal/delivery/postnatal care you have to pay your deductible and then some amount of coinsurance. There are some plans I've seen with no coinsurance for these services, but you still have to meet the deductible. </p> <p>@Mrs. Jump Rope: At least with respect to the plans I've seen, delivery is subject to the deductible and typically some amount of coinsurance. Some ACA plans also require deductible + coinsurance for prenatal/postnatal visits, so I don't think that's a no-cost-sharing-eligible preventive service. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled#post-1362447 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 18:08:48 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 1362447@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: I'm sorry to hear about that, it is so stressful! I am really stressed out about our situation, and yours is just as bad! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled#post-1362446 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 18:08:41 +0000 anonysquire 1362446@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It doesn't bug me either way, my birthing center doesn't take insurance. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled#post-1362441 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 18:07:14 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 1362441@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Jump Rope: so it is definitely sounding like ACA plans do not cover birth at 100%. Just the prenatal visits and the well-child visits afterward. ACA requires birth to be covered at some level, but then it is up to the insurer how they will cover it-- outrageous deductible, or outrageous premium. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled#post-1362438 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 18:06:09 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 1362438@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Jump Rope: What it sounds to me like is that if I got on an ACA plan, my OB services (prebaby appointments), and ped services (screenings, well-child) would be covered at 100%, but that the cost for the OB to attend, plus the hospital stay itself, would not be covered any differently than any other plan before ACA-- it is just covered as the plan states. </p> <p>So, going into this I know that having a baby around here if you are uninsured starts at about 13000 dollars-- around 10 for uncomplicated birth and hospital stay, and 3000 for all the prebaby appointments, and to have the OB catch the baby or perform a C/S. On my current plan, I would be responsible for 3,000 of the hospital stays (a 3000 dollar copay takes care of that), and 20/80 of the OB stuff, which amounts to 600 dollars. So assuming I have an uncomplicated experience, I will be out 3600 dollars for the baby.</p> <p>If I get on an ACA plan, the bronze level ones for me have like 8,000 dollar deductibles (The monthly premiums are same/higher than our current premium). Given that prebaby and birth services cost about 13000 around here, I can reasonably assume that I will pay my whole deductible toward those costs. One savings would be that I wouldn't have to pay for prebaby stuff, but that is only a savings of 600 dollars maximum because my current plan already pays 80 percent of those visits.</p> <p>I could get on a platinum-level plan, but that would have me paying 1,000 just for the premium, which is 12,000 a year, only 1,000 dollars less than the full cost of a pregnancy without insurance. And that doesn't include my deductible (which would be around 1500), so basically once you include that, I could have just paid for the baby out of pocket.</p> <p>Which actually, I just might do and negotiate a cash rate.</p> <p>So basically I'm hoping to get pregnant before my insurance runs out! Or pray for an extension! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled#post-1362399 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 17:54:48 +0000 Mrs. Jump Rope 1362399@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Sketchbook: oh okay! Makes sense :)</p> <p>I *thought* that the ACA included prenatal care and birth as part of their coverage. Obviously you pay for it with a higher premium, but it isn't an out of poker cost like it had been in the past. </p> <p>We are on a federal plan so it's very possible that our coverage is different than the options available in the exchange. (My husband is a federal employee) </p> <p>So, are you questioning if you'll have to pay $3,000 for delivery even if you sign up for a plan on the exchange? Now I forget what the original question was! :shocked: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled#post-1362392 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 17:52:14 +0000 Mae 1362392@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My understanding is that ACA makes insurance companies cover well-visits at 100% cost but it certainly does not mean having a baby is free! All of my maternity visits are covered (the routine pre-scheduled ones) and when the baby comes her well-baby visits will be covered at 100% as well. But I still pay out of pocket for lab work, ultrasounds, any non-routine visit (so if I had to go to the ER or to my doc for a problem), as well as for the birth. I mean, technically those things are "covered" but I have to pay my deductible first and then there is coinsurance (80/20). </p> <p>I'm not in your situation because I'm not losing my insurance or anything but I was in the crappy situation of getting pregnant in one calendar year and delivering in another. Which means I got to pay out of pocket (bc I had not yet met my deductible) in 2013 for all my routine lab work, vaccinations, and 2 ultrasounds-- and now in 2014 I start back at 0 having to pay my deductible again for more ultrasounds and the birth. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled#post-1362390 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 17:50:30 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 1362390@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Jump Rope: Hey, sorry I should clarify, the 3,000 is a copay to the hospital. The maternity insurance I'm on is a rider and it doesn't have anything to do with my regular insurance, if that makes sense. No matter what happens, if DH tears his ACL the day before I go into labor and maxes out our regular deductible, we will still owe the hospital 3,000 for labor/delivery services. In a way it is frustrating because you know you owe that 3,000, but in a way it is liberating because you know for your regular healthcare you can have a billion dollar deductible, but it won't change how much you have to pay for labor/delivery services. Since the ACA plans don't have a copay option for the hospital visit, I'm instead comparing their deductibles to my current copay, and just assuming with all the stuff that goes into labor/delivery services, our bill will exceed 3,000. </p> <p>Right now I can't remember what our prescription services are. I don't take BC so we are fortunate not to have any regular prescriptions. I don't think we've met our deductible, because LO had to have antibiotics a few months back and it was like, 30 dollars for a generic. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled#post-1362380 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 17:46:51 +0000 Dandelion 1362380@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Sketchbook: This was 6 years ago, but I know that with DS, I paid the OB fee and the delivery fee for the hospital. DS had to stay in the NICU, so we ended up with a bill for that, and one with a few more fees for me, since I delivered at 32 weeks and got some extra TLC in the hospital. My OB at the time was employed by the hospital (and mine is no, also, but I have state insurance this time around). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled#post-1362373 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 17:44:39 +0000 lilyofthewest 1362373@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@HoneyBear: Do you have a source for that? Everything that I'm finding (Kaiser Family Foundation, Dept of Health and Human Services, National Women's Law Center) indicates no cost sharing.</p> <p>@Mrs.Sketchbook: I'm not finding much info about delivery coverage. Anybody know? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled#post-1362372 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 17:43:53 +0000 Mrs. Jump Rope 1362372@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@honeybear: yes, covered 100% without copay or coinsurance. I didn't mean it was free. </p> <p>@Mrs. Sketchbook: can you do the math to compare plans? Make sure to include prescription coverage in your calculations. </p> <p>We are insured through my husbands employer but we've seen a lot of the ACA benefits for a few years. We pay more upfront -- prescription and health benefits don't kick in until we've met our deductible -- but it's cheaper in the long run. Then it's 90/10, and our precariptions &amp; co insurance go toward our OOP. In the end, we won't pay more than $6500 out of pocket for all services. </p> <p>So right now, you could have a $3,000 deductible but also pay $20 for copays and prescriptions above and beyond that deductible. </p> <p>Does that make sense? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled#post-1362367 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 17:41:08 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 1362367@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Dandelion: Did you do this for your OB fee or hospital fee? I know when I had LO I pay for my OB up-front. It was 10% of their usual charge (my insurance was 90/10), and it was 300 dollars. I did it when I was 38 weeks pregnant. But my hospital stay was billed to me afterward. My OB isn't employed by the hospital so they do theirs independently. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled#post-1362358 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 17:37:32 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 1362358@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@jedeve: I looked at them, but they didn't make any sense to me, but maybe we are not taking advantage of services that we could be using. Right now we pay about 600 a month for three people and we have a 3,000 copay for in-hospital maternity care, so we know we would only have to pay no more than 3,000. Office visits are 20/80, which amounts to 600 at my OBs office. The platinum plans were like, 1000 a month, which I don't get....if I had 1,000 a month to spend on a premium, why wouldn't I just save that money and eventually use it to pay for my deductible, in the hopes that I actually come out on top in the end? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-want-to-have-a-baby-before-their-insurance-is-cancelled#post-1362346 Mon, 20 Jan 2014 17:33:44 +0000 Dandelion 1362346@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't know much about the insurance part, but even if you conceived in July and was due next March, a lot of times, you pay what's going to be your part upfront (or in payments) and have it paid for by the time you go into labor. It doesn't factor in for c section charges or any NICU needs, but it may cover your deductible for when you do deliver. Or, at least part of it, so that it won't hurt as much to pay it all in the end. </p>