pregnancy no insurance coverage

Life has enough worries without having to think about how you are going to afford to pay to bring your baby into the world. Its sad that most things in modern life boil down to money and its no different when you’re pregnant. There is an old portugeuse or spanish saying that “every child comes with a loaf of bread under its arm”. The meaning – a child brings his or her own means of living with him or her.

Also see what Jesus says about how highly God The Father values us – He is very clear when he tells us not to be anxious about what we eat and drink or even what we wear – that our heavenly Father feeds the birds and how much more important are we !! 

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, `What shall we eat?’ or `What shall we drink?’ or `What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day. “

Worried about pregnancy with no insurance

On on more eartly note, its natural for a Mother to worry, and since we are talking about pregnancy with no insurance cover let’s look at the practical steps you can take if you find yourself without insurance. People want to help a pregnant woman. Not everyone, granted, but most people. You have friends even in the strangers you don’t know. Take comfort in that.

The rest of this post relates to the USA (but please feel free to share information with us that might help pregnant women from other countries)

1. Although you might not want to, you can apply for medicaid, food stamp benefits and WIC. You might not be eligible based in income BUT you will not know if you don’t ask. There is no shame in asking. 
2. If you are not elegible for medicaid take a deep breath and continue to look after yourself and your baby. Take some pregnancy vitamins and eat healthily and try not to stress. 
3. Make a list of the local hospitals that you would like to give birth in. You probably know already which hospital you would choose. Then call the first hospital on your list and inquire about costs. Ask them if they have a payment plan, that you maybe be a self-pay. Your hospital of choice may have a maternity program and an OBGYN clinic. It could be that for under US$3000 you get all of your prenatal visits, labwork, ultrasounds, delivery, hospital room and post delivery check up for this price, with unplanned C-sections adding around US$500. It could vary, and yes, it’s a lot of money, but its NOT the end of the world – stay positive. Inquire about a payment plans – you might be able to pay monthly. 
4. Visit your local DHS office. This is your local Department of Health and human Services office. With proof of income and identification you may be eligible for assistance. And if not they might have the horsepower to get you consideration for monthly payment plans with either your Hospital or Doctor.
5. Pray. Never underestimate the Power of Prayer.

Good luck and God Bless.

More pregnancy insurance information

Pregnancy Insurance

Should it bother us that 13 percent of pregnant women don’t have health insurance ? 

Should it bother us that 13 percent of pregnant women don’t have health insurance ?

Based on 2006 data almost 16% of people in the USA were uninsured with around 13% of all pregnant women being uninsured. One in five women of childbearing age (age 15 to 44) was uninsured. Younger women and low income women were more likely to be uninsured. Hispanic and Native American women were three times more likely to be uninsured than non-hispanic whites.

Does that mean that these women don’t care enough about themselves or their offspring to have pregnancy insurance ? Surely not. It could be that they can’t afford health insurance, or life circumstances such as a separation from an insured spouse has complicated matters.

Whatever the reason, it is not good enough for the woman, the child or society.

It is catastrophic in this day and age that a vast tract of motherhood (carrying our future in their wombs) is not covered by insurance. Society has failed them and by extension you could argue that you and I have failed them. By not having insurance there must be mental stress involved that cannot be beneficial for a growing baby. Did you know that Mothers of Babies who receive no prenatal care have an infant mortality rate more than six times that of mothers who receive early prenatal care ? Or that uninsured pregnant women are less likely to seek prenatal care in the first trimester and also less likely to receive the optimal number of visits during their pregnancy ? They have a 31% higher likelihood of experiencing an adverse health outcome after giving birth.

There is a geographic and demographic divide. The uninsured rate varies by state. Texas (31.3%) and New Mexico (29.7%) had the highest average rates of uninsured women of childbearing age, while Minnesota and Hawaii (10.8% each) had the lowest. Women of color are at particular risk for being uninsured, as are younger and low-income women.

Back to the money side of things. We all know that life is of more value than money. Right ?

Why is it then that in 2004, one in six women with individual coverage reported postponing or going without needed care because she couldn’t afford it ? Why is it that The Institute of Medicine estimates that the cost of achieving full insurance coverage in the U.S. would be less than the loss in economic productivity from existing coverage, and health insurance costs are rising ?

Where do we go now Mr Obama ?

Reference: http://www.acog.org/departments/govtrel/HCFWHCFA-Numbers.pdf

http://www.hisboyscanswim.com/baby-cost : The real cost of having a baby in ther US without pregnancy insurance or medicaid.