any have a baby without insurance/medicaid? - wondering about Maternity Card

my2monkeyboys wrote: Hi,
Just out of curiosity, has anyone here had a baby without insurance or medicaid? If so, did anyone use that Maternity Card thing they are hocking on the internet?
If you didn't use the card, how did you pay for the dr. appts and delivery?
I'm about to get health insurance and am trying to figure out if it would be better to pay for a baby ourselves or pay all the extra for maternity coverage (there's a fairly long waiting period on it). Not planning on having one soon, but you never know, right?!

PrairieMom replied: I really don't know anything about it, but I remember reading somewhere that it is a ripoff for some reason. I guess i'm no help.

my2monkeyboys replied: I guess I really am concerned about paying for it (even without that Card)... if the dr/hospital expect full payment up front (the way they do with insurance), or if they will usually set up some kind of payment plan for you, kwim?

luvmykids replied: My doctor with Macie set up a pmt plan right away, they only charged me a co-pay type amount at each visit, then added the balance to a running tab. When it was all said and done I got the bill and made a new payment plan. But that was in a small town, I don't know if they're all that cooperative.

Bee_Kay replied:
That's exactly how it was set up with the prenatal, labor and delivery with Ashley and Tyler for me.

my2monkeyboys replied: So do you think most dr/hospitals will set up a payment plan (that's affordable, not like $1000 a month) for those without coverage?

MyBrownEyedBoy replied: I know mine does. Some money is better than no money. I've paid $50/month before to pay off an ER visit. That was before I started working here. Now any ER visit or hospital stay that the insurance doesn't cover, the hospital writes off. Working for a hospital does have it's benefits.

my2monkeyboys replied: But couldn't the doctor just say, "no, I don't want you. Go find someone else"?? That's my biggest concern, that my doctor wouldn't want to and I'd end up going to some off-the-wall person I don't know and that is just taking me in for the money he may get, you know? Can a hospital turn you away if you don't have insurance? I know they can't from the ER, but I mean from like setting up your labor/delivery stuff.

J-rod replied: we have a maternity card and imo its worthless. we pay $69/month to have the card...and it has only saved us $700 for our prental care. figure in the cost we paying for the card...its saved us $70

now they keep telling us that we will save about 50% of the labor/delivery costs and stay in hospital....but we will wait and see.


i think we'd have been better off just setting up a payment plan with the OB. but you live and learn....and who knows maybe they will save us a bundle on the delivery. only time will tell...as they say that they cant give us an estimate on the cost.

MyBrownEyedBoy replied: Not here. Every patient has a right to Emergency services, stabilization and care or transport to a better equipped facility. That includes labor and care of a newborn even NICU.

PrairieMom replied:
Thats a load of BS. Our hospital told me that labor and delivery would be about $1600. That is after insurance.
There is a general room cost, and the cost for normal supplies. They can give an estimate, but there is no way to determin any complications or any extras.

J-rod replied:
i thought so too.... im really p.o.'d at this maternity card thing...but we're stuck with it. they had good reviews with the BBB.

my2monkeyboys replied: So, j-rod, are you having to pay for each visit (minus the "savings" from the card) at the time of the visit, or are they just letting you run up a bill and then you'll pay it?


edit: BTW, J-Rod, how is your baby doing? Have you found out what y'all are having yet, or did I miss that post?

J-rod replied:
well theoretically - the Dr. is supposed to send the bills to our MC and then we can make payments....but these idiots in the dr office keep skipping the MC and sending us the bill...got another one today. im getting ready to call and ahve a "word" with them about this. the office lady is a stupid witch (remove the W and add B ) and is very rude...so now im gonna call and speak to someone over her. this is rediculous.


we do not know what we have yet....she is due for another u/s in a few weeks...so hopefully we find out then. we go in to the dr. on the 15th of may and have a checkup and schedule the u/s

both momma and baby doing great!

JAYMESMOM replied: I live in the city and you may find an ob who will take u without insurance and set up a payment plan but most want each visit paid in full.

As far as the hospitla they wont schedule anything unless you are gng to pay up front for the service. Now if you show up in labor they can't deny you so you will be seen. At the few local hospitals areound here they divide your bill by 12 months and that is hwat is due.

You are looking at around 10,000 for an uncomplicated labor/delivery/recovery.

So it would be a little under a grand amonth.

I say pay for the health insurance -- it is worth it in the long run.

J-rod replied:
not when your not eligable t your job yet...and getting it on my own would cost me $850/month.

my luck sucks anyways.

my2monkeyboys replied: Ours would cost us almost $200 a month, then a 2-yr wait and then only $5000 would be covered. We'd have to pay the rest.
That's the cheapest we've found and still get decent regular medical too.
If my husband would just quit working... then we'd qualify for medicaid! lol


edit: I wonder if the health department (as far as going to them for dr. visits) goes by the same financial guidelines, or if anyone can go there??

ZandersMama replied: I dont think I have ever been so happy to live in Canada as I am after reading all your posts. We dont pay for anything for having a child, doctors visits or anything. I couldnt imagin having to come up with 10,000 along with all the other expenses to having a child.

Cece00 replied: Are you sure you do not qualift for Medicaid??

Some states have a program for married couples who need maternity insurance in addition to Medicaid.

You might call your local OFS.

I could never do it without insurance....my prenatal car & delivery (by csection) is estimated to be about $20,000 with no insurance. With insurance (UHC) and LAMOMS as secondary (like Medicaid, but for married pregnant woman) it will cost me right around $1100. If I didnt have LAMOMS it would be about $4000.

my2monkeyboys replied: As far as qualifying goes, it depends on which part of our taxes you look at. We are self-employed. The gross income last year was $49000, the adjusted gross income was $12500. Guess which one they use!?! (And guess which one the bank uses to give you a loan!) It's kind of tough... we make just a little too much to qualify, but not really enough to afford not to qualify, kwim? So long as payments can be set up, we'd be ok with it, if we have another one.