January Jellybeans 2013!...

[La Mere]

A lot of people have the one and only option to go with a MW because giving birth in the US is very expensive when you do not have insurance.

As for me, I still don't know. Not because I don't trust the MW, it's just because of my husbands new job and our new insurance.

You have to pay to have a baby in the USA? how effing random.

How does the insurance work? is it through your job? So if you're unemployed are you just screwed? I don't know how it works in Aus, i think we just have health care for being citizens, i know it's nothing to do with our employment, all i know is all i pay for are scans and some blood tests but the 3 day hospital stay and delivery and appts are all free, i beleive our health care system covers it. I know it's incredibly hard for homebirths in Australia as i think our health care system doesn't cover much of it (i could be wrong) and it's more expensive to go home birth because you have to pay for the midwife obviously and i know that the insurance midwives have to pay is astronomical which is why it's forcing most women to go unassisted because the availability of midwives is limited.

So how does the health care system in the US work?

I don't use it enough to know for sure. But, I do know that if you don't have insurance they make you pay for everything. OH and I paid our midwife around $2200 or so and since she transferred me we ended up paying around another $6000 for having her in the hospital and that was after my OH's insurance from work paid some of it.

 

[darkstar]

AJ – look forward to seeing your bump

LaMere – Nice bump! Thanks for sharing its nice to compare.

Wow its expensive in the US. In New Zealand we pay for nothing its all fully funded, even ultrasounds etc. If you choose to go private it can cost but in the public system if you need an obgyn if you're high risk you can see one through the public system no charge. We have a higher cost of living here though so it probably all evens out.

 

[Betheney]

I think the homebirth cost in Aus is similar actually but like i said hospitals are free. I know the public health system doesn't cover ambulances though and that cost really ranges but it's at least $800... but you can join an ambulance fund for lie $50 a year which would then make it free, me and hubby will finally get around to joining one this year.

La Mere, i would still love you to post on here about your planned way of birthing, i do find it very interesting. I was merely giving my opinion on home births. But that doesn't mean that if you were to continue to discuss it that i would shut you down or argue or anything and spend the whole time contradicting you. Which is why i didn't bother posting facts and statistics because then it just becomes this big argument where we're just throwing facts at each other back and forth until no one is happy.

Doesn't look like we have many home birthers on the thread so of course it doesn't look like you'll have many people to discuss it with. But by all means let us know how your planning is going, i can only speak for myself but i am still happy to hear all about it. It's good to have a variety on one thread.

You said you were unhappy with your midwife last time yes? is it not the same midwife you see throughout your pregnancy? Can you not shop around for midwives during your pregnancy and then choose one that you're happy with? or is it more like you call the organisation on the day and they send whoever is available out to you. Did you say she brought along her 2 sisters with her? as WELL as 2 assistants? that seems rather unnecessary. My hospital midwives told me that the usually only limit the amount of people in a room because it turns into a circus/party otherwise. I'm surprised a midwife would want so many people in a room as we all know midwives are more home/calm centred.

 

[fingersxxd]

Betheney - if you want some very hard facts about US health care you should watch "sicko" by Michael Moore it's a documentary about it. Very scary and makes me happy to live in canada!!

La Mere - I also would love to hear about your birth plan as it progresses!! I don't think home birth is for me but I'm very interested. I obviously won't have much input but would love to hear about your journey. I hope you will share some with us.

 

[fingersxxd]

Oh and Darkstar I can't post a pick from my phone but I look exactly like that. This is my second baby (third pregnancy MMC'd at 12 weeks) seems we're built similarly.

 

[Betheney]

oh fingersxxd i do love a good michael moore doco and i just found an online stream within about 30 secs so i'm going to watch it now. I'm not saying the US isn't a great place to live but i do love Aus we're a very lucky country and have a great deal of support from our govt in all aspects of life. Although i could with paying less tax

11 WEEKS FOR ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! where is the time going? I'm a lime today

https://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b174/fatty_betty/11wtickers.png

 

[darkstar]

Oh and Darkstar I can't post a pick from my phone but I look exactly like that. This is my second baby (third pregnancy MMC'd at 12 weeks) seems we're built similarly.

Cool

 

[Kaiecee]

Can't stop throwing up tonight

 

[Leinzlove]

The US does have some help from the government. If you make 200% under the poverty level. You get free healthcare, scans, dental, labor, delivery and then your babies medical care for first year of life is free.

DD was born with birth defects and her first year cost $400,000 in medical bills. Luckily theres a program called BCMH, Burea for Children with medical handicaps. And that helped soooo much. As DH and I have insurance for $234 a month that covers 80% of expenses. And our max out of pocket is $15,000 but we didn't have to pay any of it... Thanks to BCMH.

(Well the $234 also includes Dental, life insurance, accidental death, disability etc.)

My Prenatal care, Dr., bloodwork, Scans were $7,500. Hospital Stay Two nights, Delivery, Labor, No Epidural, Induction was $11,500.

We paid out of pocket: $5300 plus $3664 year for medical insurance. So, yeah it wasn't cheap $8964!! However, a lot better than the $19,000 had we no insurance.

 

[DeedeeBeester]

The US does have some help from the government. If you make 200% under the poverty level. You get free healthcare, scans, dental, labor, delivery and then your babies medical care for first year of life is free.

DD was born with birth defects and her first year cost $400,000 in medical bills. Luckily theres a program called BCMH, Burea for Children with medical handicaps. And that helped soooo much. As DH and I have insurance for $234 a month that covers 80% of expenses. And our max out of pocket is $15,000 but we didn't have to pay any of it... Thanks to BCMH.

(Well the $234 also includes Dental, life insurance, accidental death, disability etc.)

My Prenatal care, Dr., bloodwork, Scans were $7,500. Hospital Stay Two nights, Delivery, Labor, No Epidural, Induction was $11,500.

We paid out of pocket: $5300 plus $3664 year for medical insurance. So, yeah it wasn't cheap $8964!! However, a lot better than the $19,000 had we no insurance.

It's crazy, isn't it?! I can't apply for Medicaid because husband makes more than the 200% poverty line, or the scale costs from hospitals because he still makes more than what they ask for %100, and I signed an affidavit that I would not use any State help for 10 years since I entered the US. (I came to the US with a fiance visa and my permanent residency requested that.) And it's OK, I understand why I shouldn't expect tax payers to pay for me. Husband had insurance in his old job, but we had to pay around $600 for both of us a MONTH!, a 5,000 out of pocket and a very high co payment. We heard wonderful things about Midwives and one would cost us around $3,500.00 so we were still going towards that. But now, that hubby changed jobs he is going to have an awesome insurance! $280.00 a month for both of us, $600 deductable and they pay for %90 and out of pocket of $3,000. So we are really considering that option for further U/S and tests, since it's a lot better. But that's pretty much the only reason why we THINK we wont go with MW, because she was really lovely, knowledgeable and seemed to really consider my opinions. I've read that a normal delivery can go from $10,000 to $30,000.00 without insurance! It's INSANE! God knows how long we would be making payments if we went that way!

 

[Leinzlove]

Yes, I'm sure it could've been more than $19,000 without insurance. Because your insurance company works with the hospital and Dr. in your network and they write off alot.

 

[DeedeeBeester]

Yes, I'm sure it could've been more than $19,000 without insurance. Because your insurance company works with the hospital and Dr. in your network and they write off alot.

I would dare to think the difference from cash to insurance is around %100 more the cost.

 

[DeedeeBeester]

We are still packing!!! I can't wait to go to bed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Betheney]

TBH the private health care system in Australia does sound similar to these insurance companies on "sicko" and i think if you're ill with certain things then YES you do pay, i beleive specialists appt are paid for by you such a neurologists and so forth or i think you get so many per year under the medicare system. I have a friend with a child with cerebral palsy and some of her appts aren't covered and i know the ones with the paed are rather pricey. But you will get SOME back from medicare (though i'm not sure how much) there is also a medicare levy which means once you spend so much per year on medical bills you then start getting all of it back i think the medicare levey is a couple of thousand a year....

Every Australian is covered by medicare and can receive free doctors visits and free hospital stays and care when needed. I know of a couple of people in private health care who are told by hospitals it would be worse for them if they're admitted as a private patient so admit them under the public system (NOT ALWAYS THE CASE)

fact of the matter is I can't afford private health insurance... at all. There's no way we could and an extra so many hundred per month is just so much for us! it would be impossible. But tbh it isn't worth it for us. What would change this pregnancy had i have health insurance? I would pay so much per month in health insurance, i would pay an extra couple of thousand dollars to whatever obgyn i choose, my husband get's to stay with me in hospital, you can stay a little longer if you like, i can choose what obgyn i want during my pregnancy by then you have to pay them a couple of thousand, my doctor is a GP obgyn anyway. So not only can i not afford the private health system but the public health system seems to do us just fine

The ONLY tempting thing about private health insurance to me with labour and delivery is allowing hubby to sleep in hospital with me which isn't worth the so many thousand we'd be out of pocket.

I mean... my entire pregnancy, physio referrals, all blood tests, a 2 night stay in hospital, delivery, immunisations for me and baby while in hospital was all free, i have no idea how much it's worth as i never see a bill or anything.

My brother fell over at soccer and broke his foot, we had 2 x-rays, 1 CT scan, Surgery to insert pins, surgery to remove pins, follow up hospital appts, follow up physio and recovery appts, crutch hire.... all free.... this is free for any Australian citizen with medicare i beleive it doesn't matter at all what you earn.

My dad had a head on car accident he need major surgery on both knees, he had MRI's done on his brain and he saw neurologists but it wasn't just to assess brain damage from the accident it was also apparent that he may have suffered a stroke after the accident which then meant numerous more amounts of follow up appointments, he also ended up with blood clots in both legs so needed further testing and medication. Not to mention he was in hospital forever! Then he ended up with a staph infection where the surgery was done and all this didn't cost him a single cent.

I can't imagine what it's like to live in a country where this kind of health care isn't available..... My dads life would be practically over if he had to pay for any of it....

So do you HAVE to have health insurance in the US? There's no public health care? if you turn up to a hospital with a broken leg will they turn you away if you don't have insurance?

 

[alannadee]

I havnt posted anything in a while but i have been keeping an eye on the thread.
Still a bit worried about my 2nd scan on wednesday, hoping baby is still there and that it has grown!!! My hubby is coming with me for this scan so at least i wil have a bit of support if it is bad news.. But i am thinking positive, still got a few symptons, ms has subsided quite a lot, but still shattered all the time. And not had any spotting or bleeding so all good signs!? yes???
if i hadnt bothered with an early scan i would be none the wiser that my dates were out and not worrying!

My heart goes out to all those women having a hard time at the moment.

 

[Mrs Gibbo]

Wow! I know the NHS is flawed but I'm glad we have it! I can't imagine having to pay for any kind of healthcare.

 

[Betheney]

Mrs Gibbo from what i can gather NHS is very similar to the Australian health care system, sure we love to complain about it but it looks after us really.

 

[Mrs Gibbo]

Yup! Waiting times are abysmal and it can take a long time to get anything done but I think people don't realise how much things cost!

 

[DeedeeBeester]

So do you HAVE to have health insurance in the US? There's no public health care? if you turn up to a hospital with a broken leg will they turn you away if you don't have insurance?

By Law they have to attend you at the Emergency, but after that you will see a lovely huge bill waiting for you! Husband had to go to the emergency because of toxic fumes he was exposed when he was new at his job. He was there for around 3 hours just for check ups, he was fine. He got 2 bills, a Dr fee for $400 and an ER bill for $1,200. Thank God his job said they would pay for it, we definitively couldn't afford it from one day to another. I am not sure about this since I haven't had that much experience with it yet, but it seems like they can't imprison you for not paying medical bills, but I think your credit is damaged if you don't. And you really don't want a damaged credit.

 

[Soniamillie01]

The system in the UK is amazing when you do consider the costs elsewhere. Don't get me wrong we do contribute through insurance deductions from wages. The system in the uk is so over subscribed hence the huge waiting lists.

We do have private health care, payable of course. I'm lucky enough to have private through work but it doesn't cover pregnancy and labour, only really medical emergencies or if you need an operation it allows you to jump the queue, been seen privately, quicker and generally more comfortably. I think private medical care through work is a thing of the past in the uk especially since the recession. It's also a taxable benefit so whilst my employer pays for it I have to pay tax on the benefit at about £300 a year or so.

My mum had a throat cancer scar a few years ago and again she has private through work. So glad she did because she was in and treated within a day and the caught it in time. I'm not saying that the nhs wouldn't have been the same given the severity but it is comforting to know we have it if need it. Most policies come with an annual excess too, normally around £100 - £200 per year so all in all mine would costs around £400 per year if I claimed.