Aa
help.... about to have a breakdown......
Hey Ladies!!!
Did not no where else to go… ;-(((, I need your opinion!
Couple weeks ago I found out I am pregnant, very unplanned but exciting in the beginning. But, I did not realized however, that the most exciting thing in life can make you stress so-so much, I just don’t know what to do. I have not told my family yet or friends, so I am kind of keeping it to my self and only talk to my boyfriend about it, and this is where we are having a conflicts. Both of us want this baby more then anything in the world and will do our best. Since it was unplanned, of course none of us have insurance. We talked to Medicaid, and unfortunately I don’t qualify because I am not US citizen and according to Alabama (this is where we are from) you can only get it if you are US citizen or had your green card for over 5 years ( I only have green card for 3. And, please don’t judge me that I don’t deserve any support form state because I am international. I have been leaving in US for 7 years legally; I paid my taxes just like everybody else, and have never broken a law or anything like that). The only thing that I can get from Medicaid is the emergency that will only cover the birth. So, after researching the internet, we called couple doctors to have a some kind of plan or a discount option. There are many doctors who actually willing to work with you, but a lot of them want the majority of money upfront. In our case the doctor wants $1500 upfront, and it will cover the complete prenatal care including blood work etc… While $1500 sounds not a lot, we just moved to Atlanta and spent the majority of our money for the moving expenses and paid the bills while looking for jobs. Now, we planning to go back to Alabama because I only have few classes left to have my degree, and I though that it will be wise to quickly finish school before the baby, plus leaving is much cheaper there, and my boyfriend will be able to take over living expenses when I won’t be able to work. Here is the problem though. I am concerned with my pregnancy and want to make sure that everything is going good with the baby and me, because I know that if there is a problem with me, then the baby may have complications. My boyfriend and I don’t have a healthy lifestyle. Both of us been smoking over a pack a day, have drinks now and then plus been under lots of stress and pressure lately. Of course after I found out that I am pregnant I quite smoking drinking, even gave up diet coke and coffee, and believe me I fell like sh….t physically and emotionally.and feel like my nerves are going to give up any second….As evil as it sounds, sometimes I am felling like I am about to give up on this pregnancy, cause if we cant take care of it now, how we going to manage it….I want this baby so much, but I just feel like I reached my bottom line. Because I hevent told anyone, I have no one to go to, no one to ask and I am so new to it….Anyways… So, while I want to go to a doctor, as soon as possible, he ( and his family) thinks that because we don’t have money, it is not necessary to go to doctor until the second trimester pretty much, and that there is no need for blood tests cause it useless.. And, don’t get me wrong, his family is very supportive at the same time. But the problem is, I don’t even know how long I am truly pregnant, while according to last period its about 5-6 weeks, both of us think I am longer, because my last periods were very long and very light, and I got my positive before I even missed my next period. It drives me nuts that I cant go to a doctor and make sure everything is ok and it drives me even more nuts to think that I should wait at least until June to see a doctor. I can’t stop stressing about it. I don’t think I can wait another month… Please tell me what you think; do you really believe that I don’t need to see a doctor before second trimester cause it’s useless????
Did not no where else to go… ;-(((, I need your opinion!
Couple weeks ago I found out I am pregnant, very unplanned but exciting in the beginning. But, I did not realized however, that the most exciting thing in life can make you stress so-so much, I just don’t know what to do. I have not told my family yet or friends, so I am kind of keeping it to my self and only talk to my boyfriend about it, and this is where we are having a conflicts. Both of us want this baby more then anything in the world and will do our best. Since it was unplanned, of course none of us have insurance. We talked to Medicaid, and unfortunately I don’t qualify because I am not US citizen and according to Alabama (this is where we are from) you can only get it if you are US citizen or had your green card for over 5 years ( I only have green card for 3. And, please don’t judge me that I don’t deserve any support form state because I am international. I have been leaving in US for 7 years legally; I paid my taxes just like everybody else, and have never broken a law or anything like that). The only thing that I can get from Medicaid is the emergency that will only cover the birth. So, after researching the internet, we called couple doctors to have a some kind of plan or a discount option. There are many doctors who actually willing to work with you, but a lot of them want the majority of money upfront. In our case the doctor wants $1500 upfront, and it will cover the complete prenatal care including blood work etc… While $1500 sounds not a lot, we just moved to Atlanta and spent the majority of our money for the moving expenses and paid the bills while looking for jobs. Now, we planning to go back to Alabama because I only have few classes left to have my degree, and I though that it will be wise to quickly finish school before the baby, plus leaving is much cheaper there, and my boyfriend will be able to take over living expenses when I won’t be able to work. Here is the problem though. I am concerned with my pregnancy and want to make sure that everything is going good with the baby and me, because I know that if there is a problem with me, then the baby may have complications. My boyfriend and I don’t have a healthy lifestyle. Both of us been smoking over a pack a day, have drinks now and then plus been under lots of stress and pressure lately. Of course after I found out that I am pregnant I quite smoking drinking, even gave up diet coke and coffee, and believe me I fell like sh….t physically and emotionally.and feel like my nerves are going to give up any second….As evil as it sounds, sometimes I am felling like I am about to give up on this pregnancy, cause if we cant take care of it now, how we going to manage it….I want this baby so much, but I just feel like I reached my bottom line. Because I hevent told anyone, I have no one to go to, no one to ask and I am so new to it….Anyways… So, while I want to go to a doctor, as soon as possible, he ( and his family) thinks that because we don’t have money, it is not necessary to go to doctor until the second trimester pretty much, and that there is no need for blood tests cause it useless.. And, don’t get me wrong, his family is very supportive at the same time. But the problem is, I don’t even know how long I am truly pregnant, while according to last period its about 5-6 weeks, both of us think I am longer, because my last periods were very long and very light, and I got my positive before I even missed my next period. It drives me nuts that I cant go to a doctor and make sure everything is ok and it drives me even more nuts to think that I should wait at least until June to see a doctor. I can’t stop stressing about it. I don’t think I can wait another month… Please tell me what you think; do you really believe that I don’t need to see a doctor before second trimester cause it’s useless????
Personally, I would stay in atlanta. You can always finish school at another time but trying to pay of a birth may bankrupt you. If you have a chance at 100% coverage then I would take it! They are right. That fee they are charging is just for their services and doesn't include ANYTHING beyond basic visits and perfect birth. The hospital is extra and if you have to be induced, need an epidural (where you would get an additional bill from the anesthesiologist) or a c section then you are looking at owing huge $$$$$. For the sake of your health and the baby's, stay put, keep the job, get the insurance (oh, and don't let anyone know you are pregnant because some insurance might label this as a "pre existing condition" and not cover it. After the baby is born you can work on getting those few classes done.
isnt there any community health centers where you live? for instance here in mass, i interned at one and they have their own free care programs which you can apply for, regardless if your a citizen or how long you've had a green card. if you are approved then everything is covered,. im not sure if you have something like that in yur area.
Yeah, spade22 is definitely right on that one. Unless, of course, you get the special Medicaid plan that pays only for the delivery and hospital stay. Baby will also have their own bills (for their stay at the hospital, any diapers/wipes/supplies they use, any formula they may be fed, any tests on them, etc.).
I not sure I worded my thread correctly. What I meant was you should look at whether living in Atlanta w/ insurance might be more feasible than moving back to Alabama where you wont have any insurance.
Im also a little confused as to why you cant get any insurance through your school. Definitely re-examine that option because you should have insurance available to you for a nomial monthly fee (you should not need to be a citizen to have this option).
Im also a little confused as to why you cant get any insurance through your school. Definitely re-examine that option because you should have insurance available to you for a nomial monthly fee (you should not need to be a citizen to have this option).
Is there any way you can stay in Atlanta where you can get insurance through your job, until baby is born?
I have insurance and my OBGYN wanted ~$2000 up front which was the cost of all appointments, blood work, one US, vaginal delivery - my insurance paid most of that. Doesnt seem to bad, right? Wrong! This fee did not include my hospital stay, meds during labor, babies hospital stay, needing an episiotomy (needed 2 stitches which was a $2000 surgery cost!). Total cost was close to $20,000! If you have any complications or need a C-Section your bills could be well in excess of this amount. The numbers you have been quoted likely do not include many of these costs I just mentioned as these are not actually OBGYN bills.
You are currently in a situation where you can get health care and are not limited to just a few options which leave little wiggle room. I urge you to think long and hard about all the options available to you and what any worse case scenarios could mean financially - no health insurance with pregnancy complications.....
I have insurance and my OBGYN wanted ~$2000 up front which was the cost of all appointments, blood work, one US, vaginal delivery - my insurance paid most of that. Doesnt seem to bad, right? Wrong! This fee did not include my hospital stay, meds during labor, babies hospital stay, needing an episiotomy (needed 2 stitches which was a $2000 surgery cost!). Total cost was close to $20,000! If you have any complications or need a C-Section your bills could be well in excess of this amount. The numbers you have been quoted likely do not include many of these costs I just mentioned as these are not actually OBGYN bills.
You are currently in a situation where you can get health care and are not limited to just a few options which leave little wiggle room. I urge you to think long and hard about all the options available to you and what any worse case scenarios could mean financially - no health insurance with pregnancy complications.....
That actually is a very good deal for paying out of pocket! Ultrasounds are usually $300-500 apiece.
Thanks for advice. I live in a very small town in Alabama with not a lot of choices and only so many OBGyn to choose from.... Most of them want form 900 to 17000 up front, the whole process cost somewhere between 2700 and 3400 depending, that does not includes you blood tests etc. The doctor we want to go with said he can do 1500 including blood test and 1 or two ultrasounds but he wants it upfront. The reason for it is as many of them explain is to have a guaranteed commitment. There are some that do monthly payments like +- 200 but does not cover blood work and ultrasound so we though 1500 is not a bad deal. Also, all of this conversations were done over the phone, I wonder we it will be face to face with the cash in hands maybe we'll be able to know off few hundreds...
Thanks you so much for writing. Your response was the most supportive I had since I found out about the pregnancy and somehow you response made me feel comfortable and for the first time I felt like things are going good!! So, thank you so much. Like I said, I haven’t told my family or friends yet, and being new to it I just feel overwhelmed by all the decision I have to make and no one to talk to. Regarding the student insurance, international students have to have one, however, I came to USA with my family when after finishing school, so I never was considered an international student. I went by same requirements as any US resident student. I was under my parents insurance until I turned 25 though ….. I have insurance at the current job I can sign up for insurance (covers 100% maternity pretty nice!!!) BUT I will be quitting this job because we decided to go back to Alabama and rush with school, so it will not be valid in Alabama. Sad right??! I also happened to notice that so many states offer different programs besides Medicaid for pregnant, but not Alabama. Also notice that many clinics that I called to talk about financial options were so rude after I would tell I have no insurance and no Medicaid, kind of disappointing… I completely agree with you about the internet information. Sometimes I will goggle something pregnancy related and I will get scared to death and find 1000s of thing that are possible wrong with me….. Both of us are mature and responsible grown ups, I know one way or another we will make it!!! Thank you again for you replay, you have no idea how truly important your post was to me and possibly changed so many thoughts toward a positive attitude! Thank You!!!
Let me clarify- by "teaching hospital" I mean hospitals that have student nurses and doctors (who are overseen by veteran doctors). Because they need to get practice in they usually have great discounts.
$1500 is a lot upfront. My doctor has my costs split up so I only pay $80 a month until I pay it all off in the 7th month. Perhaps they can work out a better payment schedule?
$1500 is a lot upfront. My doctor has my costs split up so I only pay $80 a month until I pay it all off in the 7th month. Perhaps they can work out a better payment schedule?
i just thought of something...
if you are student, aren't you required to have insurance? have you checked to see if you are covered through your school?
if you are student, aren't you required to have insurance? have you checked to see if you are covered through your school?
when I first found out i was pregnant, my ob practice told me they don't see patients until 10-12 weeks, and couldn't even offer me an appointment until i was 13 weeks. So yes, it is normal to wait that long. However, I was not comfortable with this so I promptly found a new doctor.
You should be OK if you can't make it to a doctor until the second trimester. At this point, what they would do is bloodwork to check for HIV, to see if you're a cystic fibrosis carrier, etc... Some doctors do early ultrasounds, but many do not. If your doctor is treating for a discount, I suspect he will not be doing an early ultrasound since they are very expensive. I think the bill is something crazy like $500/visit when the dr does an ultrasound for me. Thank goodness insurance covers most of it. But if your dr sees no reason for it, he probably wouldn't do it anyways. Some doctors track hormone levels, others do not. Otherwise, dr's pretty much give you information during the first trimester. Information on nutrition, exercise, symptoms to expect, etc... The waiting game is torture, but it is something many women have to experience. And honestly, sometimes less info can be better. We see so many women stress needlessly about hcg levels and such. The only reason a visit would be good would be for dating the pregnancy. When you spoke to the doctor who is willing to work with you, did you mention that you don't know how far along you are?
congratulations on quitting smoking and drinking. I know you feel overwhelmed, but those actions alone show your maturity. encourage your boyfriend to join the club- you guys can save a lot of money that way!!! i know things seem overwhelming financially now, but if you are truly that close to graduating, then I imagine you have the potential to have a decent income in the near future.
As for your overwhelming feelings and feeling like cr@p- that is actually a sign that things are going well with the pregnancy. The hormonal changes you are going through can drive you crazy and will make you feel exhausted, and possibly sick as well. Good luck!
You should be OK if you can't make it to a doctor until the second trimester. At this point, what they would do is bloodwork to check for HIV, to see if you're a cystic fibrosis carrier, etc... Some doctors do early ultrasounds, but many do not. If your doctor is treating for a discount, I suspect he will not be doing an early ultrasound since they are very expensive. I think the bill is something crazy like $500/visit when the dr does an ultrasound for me. Thank goodness insurance covers most of it. But if your dr sees no reason for it, he probably wouldn't do it anyways. Some doctors track hormone levels, others do not. Otherwise, dr's pretty much give you information during the first trimester. Information on nutrition, exercise, symptoms to expect, etc... The waiting game is torture, but it is something many women have to experience. And honestly, sometimes less info can be better. We see so many women stress needlessly about hcg levels and such. The only reason a visit would be good would be for dating the pregnancy. When you spoke to the doctor who is willing to work with you, did you mention that you don't know how far along you are?
congratulations on quitting smoking and drinking. I know you feel overwhelmed, but those actions alone show your maturity. encourage your boyfriend to join the club- you guys can save a lot of money that way!!! i know things seem overwhelming financially now, but if you are truly that close to graduating, then I imagine you have the potential to have a decent income in the near future.
As for your overwhelming feelings and feeling like cr@p- that is actually a sign that things are going well with the pregnancy. The hormonal changes you are going through can drive you crazy and will make you feel exhausted, and possibly sick as well. Good luck!
I have a few suggestions. First, you can find a teaching hospital. They will usually base your costs on your income.
Second, you can call your local customs and see if they have a program available to you.
Every single pregnant women gets overwhelmed and wonders if they can do it. Your sweet little baby has a heartbeat and brain waves now and if you are further along, they are probably already wiggling around (can't feel it yet, of course). You've already done so much by quitting smokes and alcohol! You've got one lucky baby. While it seems hopeless now remember that baby care costs are never $1500 a month, every month. Prenatal care and birth bills are very expensive! So there's no judgement here.
Please keep us updated!
Second, you can call your local customs and see if they have a program available to you.
Every single pregnant women gets overwhelmed and wonders if they can do it. Your sweet little baby has a heartbeat and brain waves now and if you are further along, they are probably already wiggling around (can't feel it yet, of course). You've already done so much by quitting smokes and alcohol! You've got one lucky baby. While it seems hopeless now remember that baby care costs are never $1500 a month, every month. Prenatal care and birth bills are very expensive! So there's no judgement here.
Please keep us updated!
my bro in law WIFE is not a u.s citezen and she is getting PRENATAL CHIPS ... she said it was very hard to get it but she insisted and didnt give up she got EMERGENCY MEDICAID and now she has them chips... good luck i have the 1800 numbers for if you want more info let me know .. hugs
ERIka
ERIka
Most dr's wont take you until you're about 8 wks along. Some people don't start receiving prenatal care until late in the first trimester or early in the second so 11-12 wks. I wouldn't recommend going without prenatal care for that long but if you're only about 5-6 weeks along, a month shouldn't do much harm. Going to a dr at this time would basically mean they would confirm your pregnancy and perhaps try to date it via ultrasound, not much else. And yes, taking prenatal vitamins is a great idea. Good luck.
Thanks for your response. I got vitamins and with the help of internet try to have a healthy diet. We also did find a doctor who will work with us, and cutting back on many things we can manage to come up with the money just not within a week or two. The problem is that my bf and/or his family thinks that there is no need to see a doctor before second trimester so we can wait and save the needed amount without having to ask them for help. Where I want to make doctors appointment in the next week or two.
You should always see a doctor, and if you're that worried you could always go to the hospital. They can usually work with you and your income to help with a payment plan. I would also search your area for a free clinic. If you absolutely can not find one the very least you can do for yourself is get prenatal vitamins. Wal mart, and some other stores carry them. It's always important during pregnancy to make sure you see a doctor, because then they can tell you how far you are, and see how the baby is doing.
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