Livid Beyond Reason

I am warning you now, I am on my soapbox today. I’ve setup camp on this bad boy and I don’t see myself coming down anytime soon.

As a result of our quickly approaching move to Georgia, Steve and I are about to change from group insurance to individual/private insurance which is the equivalent of playing with fire and tigers and deadly snakes. Just wait, it gets better. In addition to making the move from group to private insurance, we also want to grow our family in the near future. I know, oil and water, the two don’t mix. And that is why I am up here on my soapbox foaming at the mouth.

We have been researching private insurance and maternity care for an eternity now, and these are my findings. We’re screwed. Insurance and society discriminate against women and growing families in a way that angers me to the point of having chest pain. I am not kidding about the chest pain.

(PS. I’m not currently pregnant, nor are we trying at this time, but we want a new baby in the near future and are trying our best to plan responsibly).

There is only ONE insurance company that even offers private maternity care. Did you hear me? I said ONE. Do you know what that is? A monopoly. Last time I checked, monopolies were illegal, but since insurance companies get away with murder in the first place, I guess we can let a monopoly slide on by too.

So this ONE company has ONE plan/rider that on top of their high rates is an extra $180 dollars a month. AND, there is a 12 month waiting period. AND, there is like a $3000.00 deductible. So before this company even starts paying their sad percentage you have to pay $5160.00! If you have a normal/natural/complication free birth that’s already 50-75% of the cost. A normal/natural/complication free birth is doable, we can probably afford that with little heartburn, but it’s the complicated pregnancy, c-section, emergency situations that we can’t stomach with out selling our first born. Since we tend to like our first born, we’re not interested in putting her on the market.

This ONE company did, so kindly, specify that you don’t have to wait 12 months to get pregnant. You just have to wait three months, get pregnant, and then find a doctor who is willing to wait until you have passed your 12 months waiting period to file the billing. What doctor do you know that is willing to do that? It’s already damn near impossible for them to get paid by the insurance company to begin with. Then what happens if the baby is premature? You are SOL my friend. If that baby  comes before your waiting period is over, it’s all on your dollar. And, premature munckins are expensive.

Smoke is coming out my ears right now! But let’s continue…

I was looking at another policy yesterday that is a discounted plan because of a group that Steve is involved in. This “group” plan doesn’t cover maternity care. HOWEVER, it does cover pregnancy complications/ sick baby care (80% after deductible is met). What on earth does this mean? I call the chick at this company and ask her to further explain what it means, and she is little help. What she did know managed to anger me more. When I asked her about what a “pregnancy complication” was she said that it was something that would become life threatening if not treated. So I said, “for example a c-section?” Her response (after going to ask someone else was), “An emergency c-section would be covered if for example the baby’s heart rate dropped and didn’t come back up. A scheduled c-section would not be covered.” My blood pressure is starting to boil. “So what you’re saying is that if it is clear to the doctor that a natural birth isn’t going to be successful and in order to protect the life of baby and mom he urges you to schedule a c-section to prevent a life threatening emergency that would not be covered?” Insurance chick, “That’s correct.” SMOKE IS SPEWING OUT MY EARS AND NOSE RIGHT NOW. “Do you have any idea what position this puts the parents and baby in? They just heard that they are going to need a crazy expensive surgery to safely welcome their new baby into the world, but insurance isn’t going to cover it because the doctor is proactive and doesn’t want to risk you going into labor and risking your life or the babies life. However, if they say ‘no doc, I can’t afford that; my insurance won’t pay for that. I have to go into labor and put me and the baby at risk before insurance will cover it. DO YOU HEAR WHAT YOU ARE TELLING ME? DOES THIS MAKE ANY SENSE AT ALL?” Insurance chick, “A scheduled c-section isn’t an emergency.” “THIS MAKES NO SENSE WHAT-SO-EVER. IT IS UNETHICAL AND DISCRIMINATING.”

Deep breaths…

As a last resort, I researched Medicaid in Georgia.

Before we go any further, because I know this can get heated quick, I do not believe in “working the system and living off the government” nor do I think anything less of people who do have to use Medicaid to have happy and healthy babies. Moanna was a Medicaid baby, and I have no shame – she is beautiful and I had excellent care. However, if you are a tax paying citizen and doing your best, I think it is perfectly acceptable to use government assistance when you need to.

As I was saying, I did some online research about the programs in Georgia and found that we make way too much money to qualify. However, at the end of the month, we have no surplus. Our living expenses and debt suck up the dollars we bring in in a hurry. We have very little at the end of the month to play with, and that “play” money typically goes straight to debt. So while, it may look like we are rolling in the dough that is far from true. It does make me angry that because we are working hard to better our lives, we don’t qualify for Medicaid, but if we were lazy bums we would be handed a free baby.

AND, this new healthcare reform thing no longer allows children to be denied coverage for any reason. However, pregnancy isn’t included in that. Isn’t there a child involved in pregnancy? And if we’re going to be a pro life country, shouldn’t we make sure that every life is given an equal and fair chance from the beginning?

Let’s say that I accept the ridiculous rates and waiting period for that one company that offers maternity care, and we take proper measures to prevent conception. Accidents do happen you know!!

Exhibit A:

Unless we become celebrate for the next year, there is no way to guarantee 100% that another one of these beautiful accidents is going to happen again.

I am boiling over with anger that insurance companies and our society are trying to dictate when I can have babies. Last time I checked, it was a human right to have children and a family, and the structure of our society is trying to control that. I feel like because we are making leaps to better our lives, we are being punished. Because we are choosing to move to a new land so my husband can continue working for a company that he loves (his company doesn’t offer insurance because he’s on a 1099 as an independent contractor) and that we can have more stability and opportunity in our lives, we are getting handed the short end of the insurance stick. Families and children should be the priority, but in this one way I feel like our country is just a bunch of manipulative money hungry jerks. Most of the time I love our country and what “The American Dream” is, but as we pursue our “American Dream” we are being shafted. I told you I was on a soapbox. I am pissed off and on my soap box!

I know you all have advice, and many of  you have probably been in this situation. Is there anything out there that I am missing? There has to be an option out there that I don’t know about because so many other women and families go through this. Are you angry too? Do you think I’ve flipped my rocker? Someone out there must know some secret password to make this situation better!

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go breathe in a paper bag and calm down.

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