Federal health insurance and abortion.

[Anonymous]

LIVID here, duh, I wasn't even thinking of being raped by someone other than my husband. First, if I had been raped there would have been a police report at the very least. I don't know for certain, but I don't think that the insurance company would just take my word for it. They would investigate and my story would fall apart. The idea never occurred to me. Please remember, we were absolutely devastated at the loss of our baby. We were still mourning the loss when I started to get the insurance denials. Embarassingly, I was unaware of the provisions when we found out that the baby had anencephaly. (I have worked with the pro-choice movement, even serving as a clinic defender, since I was in college) I would have had to have been claiming rape 6 weeks after the abortion. My medical records documented the anencephaly. Call me crazy for not trying it but I don't think the insurance company would have bought my story.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks to everyone that took the time to reply. I can understand your anger LIVID. I would feel the same way. It makes absolutely no sense to me that we pay for our health insurance yet in 13 states medicaid will pay for elective abortions.

[Anonymous]

OP again. Claiming rape after not being a victim of rape is a waste of time for law enforcement, insurance fraud and it will falsify actual rape statistics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:LIVID here. I am guessing that the insurance company would require some sort of contemporaneous evidence of rape. They would probably at the very least interview the doctors that treated me. I was getting prenatal care and I had a loving husband with me every step of the brief pregnancy, for the first doctor appointment and ultrasound and the u/s where the anencephaly was discovered. In addition, how could I claim rape when I was still living with my husband? Am I going to tell an elaborate tale of being an abused spouse? How or why would I do that to my husband? I do believe that would be considered insurance fraud or filing a false police report if I went that way.

I agree that the lack of abortion coverage is a horrible disservice to the women covered under the feds health insurance. Blame the Republicans in Congress. The abortion rider has been in the budget since the 80s. I worked really hard and spent several days on Capitol Hill visiting Senate offices telling my story over and over again. Unfortunately, my side lost.

Why would the republicans be responsible for a private healthcare policy.

[Anonymous]

LIVID here. Republicans are to blame because this is the policy for all the insurance carriers under the Federal Employee's Health Benefit Program. Congress dictates through a rider in the appropriations bills each year that no federal money can be spent on abortions. The feds pay part of all federal employees insurance premiums. They dictate it for the federal portion of medicaid funds too. The name of the Congressman who sponsored this legislation is the name on the bill, but the name escapes me right now. Some states have chosen to cover abortions with their own funds, not the federal portion of the Medicaid funds they recieve.. DC has been fighting about this very issue. DC wants to cover abortions under Medicaid using DC funds, not the federal funds. At one point DC won, but for some reason, I don't think that was the end.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I wholeheartedly agree, republicans are to blame.

[Anonymous]

If you google anencephaly no one's health insurance covers an abortion for it. I think it's standard policy, a weird one which doesn't make sense but yes a standard policy. Your best bet is to target the insurance companies for not covering.

[Anonymous]

You can easily get an abortion in dc for a small fee and you can get financial aid if you cannot afford it. Most OBs won't perform an abortion and your best bet is to go to an abortoion specialist.

Prices and Payment Information

Price ranges for our abortion services are:

abortion pill (medication abortion) - $475
in-clinic abortion
4-11 weeks - $425
12-13 weeks - $475
14 weeks - $525
15 weeks - $600
16-19 weeks - $700-1075
sedation - IV medication - $100
sedation - oral medication - Included in price
medication if you are Rh negative - $40-100
post-abortion follow-up exam - Included in price
abortion patient education - Included in price
Some services may have additional charges for lab and blood work

Abortion services may be covered by your insurance. If you want to use your insurance, please be sure to bring in your insurance information at the time of your visit.

Medicaid accepted.

If you are uninsured, you may be eligible to receive financial assistance for your procedure. You can confidentially find out if you qualify by calling us at 202.347.8512. If you are eligible for financial assistance, you may be asked to bring documentation with you to the health center.

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-center/centerDetails.asp?f=3273#!service=abortion

[Anonymous]

LIVID here. PP^^^ That is blatantly not true. My husband got a different job a couple of years after our pregnancy and termination. He worked for a private firm. That insurance covered elective abortions. I called the carrier to clarify and talked to a supervisor, and yes, they covered elective abortions. Planned Parenthood takes insurance, if you have it for elective abortions. Most private insurance will cover for fetal anomaly, like anencephaly or one of the trisomys. They might not cover elective abortions, but many do. It is the Federal employees who are getting screwed.

I worked with the Center for Reproductive Rights when I was lobbying on Capitol Hill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:LIVID here. PP^^^ That is blatantly not true. My husband got a different job a couple of years after our pregnancy and termination. He worked for a private firm. That insurance covered elective abortions. I called the carrier to clarify and talked to a supervisor, and yes, they covered elective abortions. Planned Parenthood takes insurance, if you have it for elective abortions. Most private insurance will cover for fetal anomaly, like anencephaly or one of the trisomys. They might not cover elective abortions, but many do. It is the Federal employees who are getting screwed.

I worked with the Center for Reproductive Rights when I was lobbying on Capitol Hill.

its not common

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To OP - maybe it's best of you go to planned Parenthood anyway. If it's done through insurance it's a part of your documented health history. I will warn you, bring a trusted friend or family member to be your advocate and bulldog. There will be protesters outside

Why shouldn't it be part of your medical record?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To OP - maybe it's best of you go to planned Parenthood anyway. If it's done through insurance it's a part of your documented health history. I will warn you, bring a trusted friend or family member to be your advocate and bulldog. There will be protesters outside

Why shouldn't it be part of your medical record?

Really? Have you not paid attention? Abortion is a very hot topic. A future doctor or health insurance provider may discriminate based on having an abortion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To OP - maybe it's best of you go to planned Parenthood anyway. If it's done through insurance it's a part of your documented health history. I will warn you, bring a trusted friend or family member to be your advocate and bulldog. There will be protesters outside

Why shouldn't it be part of your medical record?

Really? Have you not paid attention? Abortion is a very hot topic. A future doctor or health insurance provider may discriminate based on having an abortion.

You are paranoid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can easily get an abortion in dc for a small fee and you can get financial aid if you cannot afford it. Most OBs won't perform an abortion and your best bet is to go to an abortoion specialist.

Prices and Payment Information

Price ranges for our abortion services are:

abortion pill (medication abortion) - $475
in-clinic abortion
4-11 weeks - $425
12-13 weeks - $475
14 weeks - $525
15 weeks - $600
16-19 weeks - $700-1075
sedation - IV medication - $100
sedation - oral medication - Included in price
medication if you are Rh negative - $40-100
post-abortion follow-up exam - Included in price
abortion patient education - Included in price
Some services may have additional charges for lab and blood work

Abortion services may be covered by your insurance. If you want to use your insurance, please be sure to bring in your insurance information at the time of your visit.

Medicaid accepted.

If you are uninsured, you may be eligible to receive financial assistance for your procedure. You can confidentially find out if you qualify by calling us at 202.347.8512. If you are eligible for financial assistance, you may be asked to bring documentation with you to the health center.

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-center/centerDetails.asp?f=3273#!service=abortion

$475 is NOT a small fee.

[Anonymous]

LIVID here. I agree that 475 is not a small fee but when I was told that my insurance claim was denied, BCBS said I owed 9 grand. I was,able to negotiate it down to 5 grand, which is was the insurance would have paid had the abortion been covered. I had my doctor perform the abortion in the hospital. Had I known that it wasn't covered I would have gone to PP. I got pissed and tried to do something about it.