Pregnant with no health insurance?

[bvpshenvalley 0]

Check with your husband's insurance policy to see if you can get on now. Sometimes pregnancy is not regarded as a pre-existing condition. Then, I would go to social services and see what you qualify for.

There are some programs (FAMIS/Medicaid) here in Virginia that are designed for low-income families with no insurance. WIC (which provides some food assistance) is the same. I have qualified for these but I do not know what you will qualify for since your husband is the US Citizen and you are not. The comment posted above about the possibility of not qualifying for these programs may be true, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

Financial assitance (sliding scale) is available at state hospitals (at least here in Virginia). Call the hospital and see how they will bill you. I have run into hospitals who do not have full service ob/gyn departments that want you to pay up front for every visit. Even the sliding scale can be difficult also. Hospitals have been known to overcharge ($800 for an ultrasound that is $40 in Latin America). You must also advocate for yourself financially which is very difficult in our greedy medical system. You must ask the purpose of each test and the charge for each test (I have found doctors here to be very aprehensive towards self-advocating patients). This will be very difficult to do the day your child is born. There are a lot of procedures that are performed during/after birth that are not necessary and these costs can be avoided. We often have a credit mentality here in the US. Get the services first and make payments later (even if it is forever).

And work.......this economy sucks...and not everyone is a born entrepreneur. Especially those unfamiliar with this country and its laws. I am a big fan of work, but as a pregnant woman, I have already been turned down for a permanent job because I am pregnant. I am currently working temp jobs because, to me, any money will help and I cannot sit around and do nothing. Many available jobs are only paying $10 - $12 an hour. That helps, but it will take about 2 paychecks to pay for an ultrasound and one to pay for a new patient office visit.

About giving birth abroad.....if the mother gives birth abroad in her country, then the father (since he has to work and babies are unpredictable) may not be present at the birth. I also have this consideration in my head as I consider whether I should give birth here in the US (with the non-resident alien father not present) or in Latin America. Not to mention the difficulties that one may face with trying to get the baby out of the country of birth without both parents present to fill out all of the papers.

Good luck to the both of you!!

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

When you work on both fronts simultaneously, you can afford a baby.

Well, you can afford giving birth and paying it off, perhaps for a long time, but wouldn't that be the most selfish act a person can commit?

In the old days, having as many children as possible was not only a sign of health and wealth, but often necessary when 3 or 4 generations lived under one roof and all the young ones had to help out on the farm. When the parents grew old, the children took over and that was the secure retirement plan. The more children, the more workers and helping hands, the securer the retirement.

That's not the case anymore. It's the 21st century and most children move out into the world as soon as they can. We don't have big family farms here anymore, and in order to have a chance of a decent life these days, education is of paramount importance. It will cost in the neighborhood of about $250,000 to provide a child with a decent education and thus a start to a life that can be rewarding and fulfilling.

The pro life movement is actually a pro birth movement. Pop 'em out, and then tell 'em good luck. How many children are born that have no chance of a decent life? Just have a look at the children of illegal immigrants who were brought to the US when they were really young. They can't get a real job, have even problems to find something to flip burgers at minimum wage money. That's cool when you are 18 or 19, but not so cool at age 40 or 50. On the same token we have to look at babies that are born into abusive households and poverty or to parents with very little means. Those parents may love their child dearly, but if the funds are missing to provide what's essential in order to succeed in this dog-eats-dog society, it's a selfish act to give birth under such circumstances.

[catracha85 6]

That's why USCIS requires an Affidavit of Support, after all!

[HI-UG 4]

We're actually in a hospital right now! Right after our US wedding, I (USC) turned in the paperwork to get her on my insurance from work, but they wanted a certified copy of the marriage certificate, and it took 2 months! During that time she had a chemical pregnancy (nothing developed in sac), went to ER once and public health clinic a few times. Even with discounts and sliding scale for her having no insurance it cost 2 or 3 thousand.

We tried again, with insurance (Kaiser, pretty good!) and all was well until the 18.5-week scan when they discovered her body wasn't quite staying shut like it was supposed to. Fortunately there are things they can do! So we are on night 3 of maybe 4 at the hospital after heroic surgery by a specialist, and she has a lot of strictly enforced bed rest ahead, but we are hoping for a healthy, not-too-early baby girl in another 3.5-4.5 months - and the insurance covers it.

Definitely get some insurance if you can. We actually got it before we got things like cable TV and a car.