Obgyn recommendations in DC- and no insurance advice

[Anonymous]

Are you guys sure obamacare won't change this? It goes into effect January first, so explore that option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you guys sure obamacare won't change this? It goes into effect January first, so explore that option.

It will. Sure, OP will be in 2nd tri by then, but unless you have some special circumstances, you have--what--maybe 2 appointments during the 1st tri, if that? I'd sign up for the exchange when it opens, and then you are good effective January 1.

[Anonymous]

Try calling planned parenthood and ask for low cost or sliding scale options. Surely they must have some resources to guide uninsured moms to be.

[Anonymous]

Dogmama wrote:Epidurals are $4000. whoa Nelly!

Thank you all, this is all wonderful advice. For the folks who had a home birth or went to a birthing center, how did you figure out if it will be risky? Did you have a plan B? I am nervous that I might be high risk.

Sorry, I am completely clueless in the baby world.

You should, of course, be comfortable with the care that you are getting but, if a birthing center sounds appealing, I would make the first appointment with them and then let THEM decide if you are risky or not. Or give them a call and ask. I believe the first appointment at BirthCare costs something like $200 so you wouldn't be out too much money if you find out it doesn't work for one, or both, of you. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

The one in DC is called the Family Health & Birthing Center

http://www.communityofhopedc.org/fhbc

I haven't used, but I have heard good things about it.

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys. My husband was able to do some research on the exchanges and they are for sure going to cover 'pre-existing conditions' like pregnancy. (I started crying when my current insurance company customer service guy nonchalantly uttered those words!)

I might end up in a high risk pool, but even then my premium will be about $450 monthly (still better than the crazy 30K).

I was able to set up my first trimester appointments with Dr. Alan Birnkrant that will cost me $1200 out of pocket.

Lots more questions coming up. Thank you, thank you for all the insight and taking the time to help me out.

[Anonymous]

In case ACA isn't an option for some reason that I can't think of, there was a recent article about out-of-pocket maternity care in the NYTimes recently that mentioned that some hospitals offer package deals. That would be a way to avoid negotiating the cost of each service.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/01/health/american-way-of-birth-costliest-in-the-world.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

[Anonymous]

This is so why our system sucks. I am crying for you, OP.

[Anonymous]

OP something else to consider is prenatal testing, this can be very costly so you want to talk with your provider before they do the blood work and ship it off to a lab and you get hit with a 2,000$ bill (this happened to my friend paying out of pocket for prenatal care). Most of the test are done between 10-14 weeks so before the exchange will open to you at the first of the year.

I believe the M21 test has a reduced fee if your paying out of pocket and go directly through the lab something like 350$.

I personal skipped all prenatal genetic testing this time around, it just made me a nervous wreck the first time and we had a totally healthy baby. But it's something to think about and talk with your provider about during the first visit

[Anonymous]

There is a birth center in DC but I don't know anything about it or what their fees would be.

Yes, you should definitely at least call and talk with these folks about costs. They're very nice, and have a sliding fee scale for those who are uninsured.

http://www.communityofhopedc.org/fhbc

Congratulations on your pregnancy, by the way -- I'm sorry that it's coming with so much stress, but I"m sure you and your husband will find a way to make things work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks guys. My husband was able to do some research on the exchanges and they are for sure going to cover 'pre-existing conditions' like pregnancy. (I started crying when my current insurance company customer service guy nonchalantly uttered those words!)

I might end up in a high risk pool, but even then my premium will be about $450 monthly (still better than the crazy 30K).

I was able to set up my first trimester appointments with Dr. Alan Birnkrant that will cost me $1200 out of pocket.

Lots more questions coming up. Thank you, thank you for all the insight and taking the time to help me out.

Yet certain politicians are holding the government hostage to defund. Go figure. Be sure to call Ted Cruz and tell him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks guys. My husband was able to do some research on the exchanges and they are for sure going to cover 'pre-existing conditions' like pregnancy. (I started crying when my current insurance company customer service guy nonchalantly uttered those words!)

I might end up in a high risk pool, but even then my premium will be about $450 monthly (still better than the crazy 30K).

I was able to set up my first trimester appointments with Dr. Alan Birnkrant that will cost me $1200 out of pocket.

Lots more questions coming up. Thank you, thank you for all the insight and taking the time to help me out.

Don't waste your money on this appt- that is outrageous. Try Mary's Center or Family Health and Birth Center- both have sliding scales and excellent midwives who will assess any need for you to need to go to high risk OB and pay big bucks. Also Unity Upper Cardozo has an OB clinic and is sliding scale as well.

[Anonymous]

No exchanges have been set up yet so I wouldn't count on that. OP - are either of you lawyers? I got my family medical insurance through the VA bar many years ago. It's very expensive but they give you options. We are heavy users (young kids at the time) so I signed up for the "all bells and whistles" plan thru the VA Bar. But they offered catastrophic as well. If you are not lawyers, do you belong to any other entity that offers medical coverage. My college does, for example. Any other groups that you might not think of like AAA (auto). Finally, did either of you have a parent who served in the military. I'm not an authority on this but I am told you then qualify for insurance plans through USAA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks guys. My husband was able to do some research on the exchanges and they are for sure going to cover 'pre-existing conditions' like pregnancy. (I started crying when my current insurance company customer service guy nonchalantly uttered those words!)

I might end up in a high risk pool, but even then my premium will be about $450 monthly (still better than the crazy 30K).

I was able to set up my first trimester appointments with Dr. Alan Birnkrant that will cost me $1200 out of pocket.

Lots more questions coming up. Thank you, thank you for all the insight and taking the time to help me out.

Don't waste your money on this appt- that is outrageous. Try Mary's Center or Family Health and Birth Center- both have sliding scales and excellent midwives who will assess any need for you to need to go to high risk OB and pay big bucks. Also Unity Upper Cardozo has an OB clinic and is sliding scale as well.

+1000
There is no reason whatsoever to go to a fancy OB for your first appointments when these are other options that are just as good. You could go at 8 weeks and 12 weeks - and there is no reason for two appointments to cost you $1200. That's obscene.

Another option you might explore is getting new coverage for yourself - starting next month 10/1 - through ehealthinsurance.com which hosts all the companies' rates and is totally legit. It is where we got our family coverage when we were both self-employed. Just choose an option that isn't carefirst and add the prenatal/maternity coverage when given the option. If I remember right, it was an extra $126/month in DC through carefirst. I don't believe you will need to go through underwriting to get the coverage. Worth a look and could save you boatloads of money - even if temporarily until the health exchanges are up. The maternity coverage was significant, but not 100% - you must meet your deductible first and may have coinsurance, but a year on that may be better than eating the costs of a hospital birth on your own. And then switch back to your HMO or the exchange. Keep us posted!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks guys. My husband was able to do some research on the exchanges and they are for sure going to cover 'pre-existing conditions' like pregnancy. (I started crying when my current insurance company customer service guy nonchalantly uttered those words!)

I might end up in a high risk pool, but even then my premium will be about $450 monthly (still better than the crazy 30K).

I was able to set up my first trimester appointments with Dr. Alan Birnkrant that will cost me $1200 out of pocket.

Lots more questions coming up. Thank you, thank you for all the insight and taking the time to help me out.

Don't waste your money on this appt- that is outrageous. Try Mary's Center or Family Health and Birth Center- both have sliding scales and excellent midwives who will assess any need for you to need to go to high risk OB and pay big bucks. Also Unity Upper Cardozo has an OB clinic and is sliding scale as well.

+1000
There is no reason whatsoever to go to a fancy OB for your first appointments when these are other options that are just as good. You could go at 8 weeks and 12 weeks - and there is no reason for two appointments to cost you $1200. That's obscene.

Another option you might explore is getting new coverage for yourself - starting next month 10/1 - through ehealthinsurance.com which hosts all the companies' rates and is totally legit. It is where we got our family coverage when we were both self-employed. Just choose an option that isn't carefirst and add the prenatal/maternity coverage when given the option. If I remember right, it was an extra $126/month in DC through carefirst. I don't believe you will need to go through underwriting to get the coverage. Worth a look and could save you boatloads of money - even if temporarily until the health exchanges are up. The maternity coverage was significant, but not 100% - you must meet your deductible first and may have coinsurance, but a year on that may be better than eating the costs of a hospital birth on your own. And then switch back to your HMO or the exchange. Keep us posted!!

Oh, and just make sure there aren't any "preexisting conditions exclusions" if you go for new coverage... This situation stinks. I'm sorry, but you seem very resourceful and smart.