VENTING! Going broke w/ DR's & ER visits!

Question

I am so frustrated. I pay $500/month for health insurance. Luckily, my company reimburses me.
Due to ER/Sonograms and specialists, my monthly out of pocket bills have been betweeen 800-$1500/month. My maternity is 80/20% through Aetna.
When I went to ER from dehydration in January for the first time, I just got billed $1200 (original bill was $3500). I have gone 3x after that and scared to death now of bills piling up. I thought since my deductable was $2000 I was way past that out of pocket, but I guess not due to in/out network deductions and all other stipulations.
Now I have the boston specialists and tests all next week, should I sell my damn house now ? Arrrgggg
How the hell are people expected to have children in america????
My insurance does not give an option for better health coverage on maternity and now it would take 2 months to get on a new one.
This is just insane.........

oceanv · Answer

Courtcoop - I'm so sorry you have to add money worries to things you have to worry about at this time

Well, In Canada we pay about $114 per month to the province for a family (2 adults + how ever many children) this covers hospital care, doctors visits, specialists, testing (some tests have rather long wait times but they are free), hospital stays (you pay extra for private rooms but your employer extended health then kicks in for that sometimes).  We don't have to pay anything for pregnancy and birth, although I think if you want a midwife you do have to pay for that.  We do get a visit from boundary health nurses for the home visit (one) so they can check out your set-up, make sure the baby is still thriving etc....if you have extended benefits through your employer they usually cover prescriptions, massage therapy, chiro, etc..... 

I would have a heart attack if I had to deal with the deductibles and invoices for pregnancy and birth that a lot of the us gals have to deal with.........!

Courtcoop · Answer

NZmum3...
No we do not have free services from a nurse who comes to your house after bb is born.  That you have to pay for here.

NZmum3 · Answer

I'm quite shocked to read how much everything costs for you,unbelievable.
Pum and I live in New Zealand and our maternity services are free.
But I'd say give it time and that will probaby change here.
I don't know how anyone can afford to have a baby in the US since it costs so much.
It must be a struggle for everyone.
It would be interesting to know how much it is for doctors/hosptials etc.. for other ladies from other countries.
Also in the US do you have Plunket Nurses who come to your home after baby is born, at least 6 times to do checks on weight and general friendly support for free????

Pum · Answer

What I really should have said is I'm sorry you are facing financial bills at a time when you are naturally worried about the health of your unborn baby. I hope you are able to find some way around things. We are very lucky here to have maternity services fully covered by the government. One less thing to stress about.

kristine625 · Answer

I respect your opinion just like you should respect others enough not to suggest they leave the country if they don't like something.

People come to this board to seek advice and support.

AnnieBrooke · Answer

I'm relatively satisfied with my health insurance, but it is expensive.  Too bad it didn't cover IVF.  We were still paying off my son's IVF costs when he was 2, and are in debt to the tune of $30,000 for the tries last year that failed.

googlegirl500 · Answer

us too-

hosp w/ preterm labor 24 weeks-cant work- cant afford the progesterone- but not reliable ev. it works on preterm labor- just preterm birth when given early in next pregnancy.

also- partner has hads his own medical problems- soo $$$

Scotland2009 · Answer

We've probably got the worst insurance of all... Blue Cross- Blue Shield.  It cost us $450 per month and the deductable is $5000.00!  We'd be better off without it I think.

melimeli · Answer

I pay 5 $ for rx and 5$ for appointments.. I pay nothing for pg appointments and nothing for the birth...  that is good insurance..you have to balance it when you get a job maybe you get paid a little less but you get great insurance.  We can't have the same medical system as other countries because we are leaders in medical tech... and innovations.. we cannot develop and find cures and treatments for all the illnesses that we do without money.. that money has to come from somewhere.. there is no magic money tree...  I am so sick of people complaining about the US.. frankly if you don't like it here you are free to leave...

Ecologic · Answer

Yes I think the health care system ***** in the US. I compare it all the time with the health care system in France (I am a French citizen living in the US): in France all pregnant women are covered 100% for everything from beginning to end, all people with cancer also are covered 100%.

In 2009 we had a crappy insurance and we had to pay almost $1500 for a D&C. In 2006 I had what's considered a good insurance and I still had to pay $1000 for the removal of an ovarian cyst. It's pay pay pay here. 

I hope you can find a way to negotiate with the hospital to pay your bills. Don't hesitate to negotiate with them!

melimeli · Answer

I have great insurance and I am completely against a public health care system unless it is just an option for the poorest of folks.. what needs to happen is hospitals need to stop being obligated to treat everyone by law.. so many people use the emergency room to treat the common cold and never pay their bill.. those people need to go to public (county) clinics and the hospital needs to be able to turn them away unless it is a real emergency.  Those of us with insurance are footing the bill for a system that is abused by those that don't give a crap because they don't work and will never pay their bills.

SoCalTricia · Answer

Pum, not all insurance is like that. I'm very forunate...I work for a government agency and my insurance is payed for by my employer as part of my benefits package. It's an HMO, but they pay for almost everything. I have a $10 co-pay for office visits, $5 prescriptions. My hospital stays when I was pregnant were fully covered. And, thank God, my son's hospital and surgery bills were fully covered when he got sick and passed away. I've gotten copies of all of those bills, and the total came to well over $150,000.  HOWEVER, it DOES stink for people who have to pay their own insurance, or for people who make just enough money to not qualify for the low-cost insurance plans. It's really awful...people's health shouldn't have to suffer because they can't afford to pay. And I know that this new "solution" our government has come up with is NOT the answer.

Pum · Answer

I don't understand this much. America seems to have a very odd and uncaring system.

melimeli · Answer

Does you partner have insurance?  Any chance of marrying and then having double coverage?

Jeanie20 · Answer

I agree that these insurance companies all stink.  It's like why are u paying for health insurance every month if you still have to pay for co-pays and hospital co-pays its so ridiculus (can't spell) and then it's like u go to the doc and they tell u well we have to sit down and discuss what the insurance pays and what we have to pay.  Also, we have to pay $4,000 after the babies r born.  They need to do something about these insurance companies.  In the state that u live in do they offer a pregnancy medicaid plan??  If so they cover everything that has to do with the pregnancy even the dentist.  A friend of mine is on it and she said they cover the delivery and all.  The hospital stay.  She didn't have to pay a dime for a thing.  The only thing that they don't cover is if u want to have your son circumsized b/c they feel that it's a religious thing so they don't cover it even if u want it done.  You would have to pay for that but it's better then having to pay for everything else.  You should try and look into it.  Then the baby will automatically be put on medicaid and you don't pay a thing for his/her doc appts or anything like that.  I hope this helps you.  Take care and good luck.

adgal · Answer

I'm sorry honey.  That is the last thing you should have to worry about right now.  I just don't think it's fair.

kristine625 · Answer

Hey there.   That totally stinks.  It is absolutely horrible how tough it can be sometimes to get the quality care you and your baby need.  I think that should be a crime in and of itself.  I truly do.

It's totally unfair!

mami1323 · Answer

I know how you feel.  I am still paying off my doctor for my birth of Jayden.  He's 2 years old and I still owe them $1,300.  I paid out of pocket and was only reimbursed for 80% and I also was charged close to $1,000 for the hospital stay.  I paid that off about a year ago.  It's ridiculous.  I pay $500 a month for me and my son's insurance and was looking to see if I can get him on Child Health Plus.  It's very hard.  I wish I could say something to make you feel better but unfortunately I don't know what advice to give you.  Health plans are skyrocketing.  It's no joke.

DoulaSummer · Answer

If you switched insurance they are not likely to cover your pregnancy AT ALL because it would be considered a "pre-existing condition".  Are you high risk?  Having complications?

I know how you feel though.  I had cancer as a child and therefore cannot get insurance at all because I am too high risk.  One company would take me on for over $3,000 a month!  No thank you.  I had a high risk pregnancy and seen the doctor 1-3 times a week from week 8.