pregnancy without health insurance

[Marta Proniagina 119]

Hi everyone. i am a recent green card holder, came here on k1.

Recently I found out that I am pregnant which was unexpected but my husband and I don't have insurance (his job doesn't provide with one and I was going to get a job with benefits this year). And it happened so that we are not sure how we can manage to go through this stage with less bills. He earns 41k per year and we are not eligible for medicaid (plus he signed the affidavit) but paying around 20000 or more with cash would be very hard for us. 

Are there any options in this situations? Can I get insurance which covers prenatal care and delivery already being pregnant? (I know we don't have many providers working in our area and I'm not even sure where to buy insurances)

Is there a possibility of having medicaid with some co-payments?

Can we get medicaid for just a delivery? (I read somewhere that some people got it)

How good is the idea of having a contract with the doctor and asking the hospital for a discount if we pay cash?

How big are my chances of trying to get a job being pregnant (13 weeks)? Is it going to be a big problem? I was looking for a teller position at the local bank.
 

I've spent 4 days trying to find the info but looks like it's all messed up and it's the different experiences everywhere. So, I'd really appreciate any clarifying comments on this situation. Thank you all!

[Kastrs 723]

You do not need to disclose your pregnancy during interview or the hiring process

However, for any job you do obtain you will not be eligible for FMLA as you need to have worked for the company for 12m first

[Ontarkie 14,225]

~~Moved to Moving here and Your New life, from General Immigration. - The OP is asking about the lack of medical insurance while pregnant.~~ 

[NikLR 13,227]

Check your state laws regarding care. Some states allow Medicaid for an unborn child or for a pregnant mother of USC without it affecting the I-864.  This varies by state greatly. 

 

You shouldn't have much of an issue getting a job as a teller. I would look I to jobs at health insurance places as well since many of those are seated and provide great benefits.  

[EandH0904 1,184]

You can call your local health dept too. There are programs state funded for moms called Healthy Moms Healthy Kids which is somewhat like Medicaid but has co pays and only covers pregnancy/birth. They can also set you up with a provider. I've been a nurse 16 years and worked in OB, now I'm at a peds clinic. There are all sorts of resources you just need to know where. Feel free to msg me if you get stuck. 

[janet3 1,170]

Have you looked into the marketplace insurance? 

Edited August 25, 2018 by janet3

[geowrian 22,337]

Not to judge, but this is a reminder that obtaining health insurance is critical in today's society in the US. Anybody is eligible for it, either via their employer or the public marketplace. Cost is certainly an issue, but the cost of not having it can suddenly be far worse (I'm speaking from experience).

Pregnancy is generally considered a preexisting condition by insurers, but obtaining insurance is still available from the marketplace.

 

Emergency Medicaid may be available for you for the birth of a child. This is not a means tested benefit like regular Medicaid, so you may be eligible for it.

You can also seek out various discount plans to help.

You can discuss the care and situation with providers to "shop around" and find out who would be the lowest cost (with quality care still, obviously). Many providers can work out arrangements for cash payments at a discount, payment plans, etc.

Keep in mind the low-end, no complications birth situation as well as what were to happen if there were complications.

 

You can certainly obtain a job while pregnant, and being pregnant is not a valid cause for an employer to refuse an offer. That said, if you were visibly pregnant or had other indications of being pregnant, there's no way to know if the employer is making a hiring decision with your pregnancy in consideration.

As noted, FMLA won't cover you based on the timing, but many employers do have maternity leave and other benefits.

[hf2018 19]

Does the 5 year rule prevent an new immigrant mother with a GC from receiving medicaid to cover childbirth? Would the couple (both GC) have trouble down the road obtaining their Citizenship? Is that considered public charge?

[jdaveh 58]

This is from the USCIS website under not considered for as a public charge       https://www.uscis.gov/greencard/public-charge

 

 

A. Non-cash benefits (other than institutionalization for long-term care) are generally not taken into account for purposes of a public charge determination.

Special-purpose cash assistance is also generally not taken into account for purposes of public charge determination.

Non-cash or special-purpose cash benefits are generally supplemental in nature and do not make a person primarily dependent on the government for subsistence. Therefore, past, current, or future receipt of these benefits do not impact a public charge determination. Non-cash or special purpose cash benefits that are not considered for public charge purposes include:

• Medicaid and other health insurance and health services (including public assistance for immunizations and for testing and treatment of symptoms of communicable diseases; use of health clinics, short-term rehabilitation services, and emergency medical services) other than support for long-term institutional care
• Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
• Nutrition programs, including Food Stamps, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program, and other supplementary and emergency food assistance programs
• Housing benefits
• Child care services
• Energy assistance, such as the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
• Emergency disaster relief
• Foster care and adoption assistance
• Educational assistance (such as attending public school), including benefits under the Head Start Act and aid for elementary, secondary, or higher education
• Job training programs
• In-kind, community-based programs, services, or assistance (such as soup kitchens, crisis counseling and intervention, and short-term shelter)

State and local programs that are similar to the federal programs listed above are also generally not considered for public charge purposes. Please be aware that states may adopt different names for the same or similar publicly funded programs. It is the underlying nature of the program, not the name adopted in a particular state, which determines whether or not it should be considered for public charge purposes. In California, for example, Medicaid is called "Medi-Cal" and CHIP is called "Healthy Families." These benefits are not considered for public charge purposes.

In addition, and consistent with existing practice, cash payments that have been earned, such as Title II Social Security benefits, government pensions, and veterans' benefits, among other forms of earned benefits, do not support a public charge determination. Unemployment compensation is also not considered for public charge purposes.

[Ketsuban 1,034]

I don't have insurance and went to the ER recently for a prolonged illness. A lot of hospitals provide discounts based on income and even if they don't, some of them allow you to pay in installment amounts that you can afford. This varies from hospital to hospital. They usually have a patient advocacy department, so you could call and ask them how they would handle your situation if you're unable to get insurance in time for the medical necessities.

[CEE53147 559]

If you are at low risk, check for birthing centers and midwives as lower cost alternatives to comprehensive hospitals.  They have relationships with hospitals for complications but are cheaper for uncomplicated situations.

[Nitha 17]

Call market place and Ask your Husband to tell them about his work  and based on income he will receive tax credit and accordingly there will be Monthly Premium and then tell them to add u in same Insurance as his and they will ask about  ur immigration status and work etc and when u get ur work , report to market place of that change .  the Whole phone call mite take an a hour but  U will have insurance until then and Report every life change to them ( As soon as "you"get a Job).

 

number to Call , 1-800-318-2596

Edited August 25, 2018 by Nitha

[geowrian 22,337]

3 hours ago, hf2018 said:

Does the 5 year rule prevent an new immigrant mother with a GC from receiving medicaid to cover childbirth? Would the couple (both GC) have trouble down the road obtaining their Citizenship? Is that considered public charge?

Regular Medicaid? Yes (unless it's the state program funded through state and local funds, which is what some states do...the ban is on federal funds). Emergency Medicaid? No.

 

If somebody were to receive a benefit for which they were not qualified, it can impact their citizenship application. If it was mistakenly obtained, paying it back is generally the fix. If it were obtained via misrepresentation on the application, that is a more serious issue.

There is a draft policy change which expands what public benefits would be considered when applying for citizenship. It is not yet a full policy nor in effect.

 

1 hour ago, jdaveh said:

This is from the USCIS website under not considered for as a public charge       https://www.uscis.gov/greencard/public-charge

The OP already has a green card so this list does not apply. The list provided is for the public charge concern by an IO, which is different than prohibited means-tested benefits of an LPR under an I-864.

 

A list of means-tested benefits that are permitted is below (https://www.uscis.gov/i-864p)

 

"Federal Means-Tested Public Benefits: To date, federal agencies administering benefit programs have determined that federal means-tested public benefits include food stamps, Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and the State Child Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

State Means-Tested Public Benefits: Each state will determine which, if any, of its public benefits are means-tested. If a state determines that it has programs which meet this definition, it is encouraged to provide notice to the public on which programs are included. Check with the state public assistance office to determine which, state assistance programs are means-tested public benefits.

Programs Not Included: The following federal and state programs are not included as means-tested benefits:

• Emergency Medicaid; 
• Short-term, non-cash emergency relief; 
• Services provided under the National School Lunch and Child Nutrition Acts;
• Immunizations and testing and treatment for communicable diseases; 
• Student assistance under the Higher Education Act and the Public Health Service Act; 
• Certain forms of foster-care or adoption  assistance under the Social Security Act;
• Head Start programs; 
• Means-tested  programs under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act; and 
• Job Training Partnership Act programs."

Edited August 25, 2018 by geowrian

[EM_Vandaveer 2,408]

15 hours ago, Marta Proniagina said:

Hi everyone. i am a recent green card holder, came here on k1.

Recently I found out that I am pregnant which was unexpected but my husband and I don't have insurance (his job doesn't provide with one and I was going to get a job with benefits this year). And it happened so that we are not sure how we can manage to go through this stage with less bills. He earns 41k per year and we are not eligible for medicaid (plus he signed the affidavit) but paying around 20000 or more with cash would be very hard for us. 

Are there any options in this situations? Can I get insurance which covers prenatal care and delivery already being pregnant? (I know we don't have many providers working in our area and I'm not even sure where to buy insurances)

Is there a possibility of having medicaid with some co-payments?

Can we get medicaid for just a delivery? (I read somewhere that some people got it)

How good is the idea of having a contract with the doctor and asking the hospital for a discount if we pay cash?

How big are my chances of trying to get a job being pregnant (13 weeks)? Is it going to be a big problem? I was looking for a teller position at the local bank.
 

I've spent 4 days trying to find the info but looks like it's all messed up and it's the different experiences everywhere. So, I'd really appreciate any clarifying comments on this situation. Thank you all!

CHIP Perinatal. Had two babies on it as a GC holder myself. It is income-based, so you need to qualify based on that. Also based on your income it'll either cover delivery or you'll apply for Emergency Medicaid for the L&D AFTER the baby is born.

[EM_Vandaveer 2,408]

3 hours ago, hf2018 said:

Does the 5 year rule prevent an new immigrant mother with a GC from receiving medicaid to cover childbirth? Would the couple (both GC) have trouble down the road obtaining their Citizenship? Is that considered public charge?

It would not. I had CHIP Perinatal for two babies as a GC holder. GC holders are not eligible for Medicaid, though.