Pregnant USC - Health Insurance?

[lirpa11 16]

Hello

I am a USC and living in Australia. I am moving back to USA in 4 weeks. I will be 12 weeks pregnant.

I've been looking at insurance to be covered, from what I can find it will be around to just under $200 per month, with a $5k deductible and $6k out of pocket or so (not entirely across the insurance lingo yet).

Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions, information re being pregnant and having health insurance to give birth etc. Hubby will be in Australia until May/June, and baby is due 1 September.

I know myself or hubby could get a job with health cover and be covered the next month (I think that's how it works - let me know if wrong), however I would prefer to have my own insurance just in case that doesn't go as planned. Paying a bit extra each month is no problem.

As for Medicaid or anything, my husband will be working in Australia and making decent wages. I assume the government will take in details of his income when determining eligibility so we will not be eligible. We are happy to pay costs out of pocket, but we would also like to have insurance for ease of mind and to help with costs.

Can anyone help?

[lirpa11 16]

As for delaying the move, we are now at the end of immigration and I would like to be home in the USA with my family and friends there to give birth. I just want to know our options for being in USA.

I'm looking at healthcare.gov for marketplace insurance. I'm just not sure if that's what I am after?

Thanks for your time!

[lirpa11 16]

Guessing it's an unusual one?

I've searched and found all sorts of threads re new immigrants here and being pregnant, but not returning citizens

[TBoneTX 45,284]

*** Thread moved from "Moving to the US & Your New Life" forum to the Off Topic forum, for perhaps a wider audience. ***

[Niceb 2]

I'm in a similar boat. I'm Irish and won the DV lottery. However I am pregnant and have to enter the US before the baby is born or the visa will expire. I'm looking at moving to PA. My husband and I won't have jobs on arrival.

From the research I've done, you can apply for ACA through the healthcare.gov website or directly with the insurance company. If you are not working, the costs are much higher. I was quoted $500 a month, but then it has no deductibles and an out of pocket of $3k per year. If you can, you would be better off to pay a higher premium and have less out of pocket expenses , just in case anything goes wrong. You need to apply before the 15th of the month to get insured by the 1st of the next month. If not you will have to wait an additional month, which you can't really risk while pregnant.

Given that you are American you can probably apply for Medicaid too. You would need to look into that though.

What I plan to do is buy travel insurance to cover me for the first month. I am going to arrive before the 15th of the month and apply for ACA the day after I arrive. I hope that helps.

[lirpa11 16]

Ok I have been looking around and asking heaps of questions! I have an obgyn in my hometown that I will use when I arrive. I will also apply for health insurance with blue cross blue shield before I leave Australia. I will be fully covered from 1st March 2015, however they can backdate to 1st of February 2015 since I am already pregnant. It will cost either $190 per month($4000 deductible) or $227 per month ($3500 deductible). Everything will be covered! woo hoo! I will have a $4,000 deductible (out of pocket expense) for the plan I think we will choose, which we are perfectly fine with! After that, the health cover will cover the rest of the costs, including obgyn visits, hospital cover, medication etc. This takes a huge weight off my shoulders

I found out about the plan through the healthcare.gov website. I phoned and spoke to a very helpful lady (Most Americans are so nice!) Very happy with our decision and I know it will all work out. Also glad to be paying for it on our own and not through taxpayers money, although I don't care as long as we have a beautiful healthy baby and I can't see how anyone can deny people that!

So worst case scenario, if we couldn't get health cover, I know the obgyn charges $4,800 for all obgyn appointments, delivery and a few after birth appointments. All scans are $400, and lab work, is on top of this fee. It also does not include the hospital fee, which I have been reading can range from $4,000 for a couple of days (best case scenario) to $10,000 if you were there for a week! The baby would then get its own bill, anywhere from $1,000-$3,000 per day if in NICU or a nursury, and the mom would be charged per day as well. The fees for out of pocket without health care can add up very quickly, so definitely look at insurance!

It might be expensive, but no insurance could bankrupt you. And it isn't worth stressing over hospital bills when you have a newborn baby you are trying to take care of!

Hopefully this information will help another US citizen returning to the USA, or an immigrant trying to figure out what their options are.

Good luck and I wish anyone who is pregnant and looking at your options a healthy and happy pregnancy and stress-free birth!

[NikLR 13,227]

I guess I'd stay in Australia to be honest if possible if you have residency there and available health care.

Considering only my boyfriend at the time (the father) was present during my daughter's birth, maybe I'm not as sensitive to other people's needs to have other family and friends around?

[lirpa11 16]

Thanks NLR, I am an Australian and US citizen, but we are going to have the baby in USA. If we have the baby in Australia it's going to be $6,000-$8,000 out of pocket anyhow as we use the private healthcare system instead of the public system as we pay for full insurance here as well.

The cost in USA will be around the same with the health insurance costs anyhow, so we will go ahead with that My tickets etc are booked in 3 weeks, and I have lined up some job interviews for when I arrive, so we are set to get this started!

[NikLR 13,227]

Ah okay.

As my insurance is based on my husband's job, I cannot comment on it more than it's an high deducible plan that makes us pay 3k out of pocket before they cover any costs other than preventative care, for in network doctors.

You shouldn't be showing enough at that point for it to affect any interviews but be careful of that none-the-less.

[lirpa11 16]

Thanks, ours will be $4,000 deductible which is high, but we have already paid $12,000+ for IVF in Australia anyhow, so getting used to these big bills! The medicare here does provide a rebate though, so we ended up getting back $5,000 on the ivf procedure after a month or so which was great.

I was going to arrange payment plans in advance with the hospital, and then pay the obgyn up front for the fees, but if insurance will cover me it makes it all so much easier! Our friends just had a baby in Australia, one paid $8,000 in hospital and obstetrician fees, and another paid $6,000. That's on top of their monthly insurance premiums. If you go public here it can be very cheap with most services nearly free, but the care isn't as good, and you may see a different doctor each time which could be frustrating. The public system, while cheap, gives you what is available. It has it's ups and downs depending on your situation. Some friends went public and say its great. Some said they won't again.. so all different types of opinions.

My sister, sister in law, best friend, and god mother all used the doctor I will be using in the USA and used the hospital so I think I will be in good hands

With the interviews, I am an accountant so thankfully the pregnancy wont affect that part too much. I'm going to try and get a temporary role (5-6 months) so I can have time off after the birth without having to be pressured into going back to work as well. That's now our next hurdle to overcome ha ha Geesh, having a baby is full of planning! Add that to planning a move to the other side of the world (literally) and I have been one busy girl!

[NikLR 13,227]

If the birth etc is normal you can get away with about 9000 cash. But if you may need a c-section, which is obviously major surgery, the cost goes up. Do not let yourself be pushed into a c-section you do not want it either. Read up on the birthing process, the safe times etc... Doctors like to push for them as a) they get money and b) you're less likely to sue. (malpractice premiums for them!)

I'm sure there are plenty of temporary positions at this time of year that could totally use your help!!! After all it's tax season!

Edited January 24, 2015 by NLR