Federal health insurance and abortion.

[Anonymous]

Due to being a federal employee, our health insurance is a federal health plan through united health care. Does anyone out there know for sure if abortion coverage is part of our coverage? Please don't flame me, this is just a question. I can't find out any answers online. TIA.

[Anonymous]

It is not covered unless it's life-threatening for you.

[Anonymous]

You pay out of pocket for an abortion unless it's medically necessary for you or the baby to have an abortion.

[Anonymous]

It's might not be covered even if it is life-threatening. I had to terminate to save my life and we had to pay out of pocket. We had friends who terminated a pregnancy where the fetus was missing a brain and other organs and also had to pay out of pocket.

[Anonymous]

LIVID here. Abortions are covered in these 3 circumstances, rape, incest, life of the mother. When they say "life of the mother" they mean your life is in immediate danger unless the pregnancy is terminated in the next 10 minutes. That means severe preeclampsia, bp shooting through the roof, organs beginning to fail, they will cover it. Diagnosed with cancer and you need to terminate in order to get chemo, probably not.

It also does not cover termination when the fetus has an anomoly. My baby had anencephaly and my abortion was not covered. I hve the letter from BCBS saying that "yes, we saw that your baby had anencephaly but our medical experts determined that you could have carried to term."

Go back and search the archives using LIVID. The first postings should begin around October-November 2008. You will see the detailed account of my fight with the insurance carrier, my lobbying efforts on Capitol Hill, Diane Feinstein telling my story on the Senate floor during the ACA debate and my profile in the Federal Diary.

Bottom line, if something goes wrong in your pregancy and you need to terminate it will not be covered by the Feds health insurance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:LIVID here. Abortions are covered in these 3 circumstances, rape, incest, life of the mother. When they say "life of the mother" they mean your life is in immediate danger unless the pregnancy is terminated in the next 10 minutes. That means severe preeclampsia, bp shooting through the roof, organs beginning to fail, they will cover it. Diagnosed with cancer and you need to terminate in order to get chemo, probably not.

It also does not cover termination when the fetus has an anomoly. My baby had anencephaly and my abortion was not covered. I hve the letter from BCBS saying that "yes, we saw that your baby had anencephaly but our medical experts determined that you could have carried to term."

Go back and search the archives using LIVID. The first postings should begin around October-November 2008. You will see the detailed account of my fight with the insurance carrier, my lobbying efforts on Capitol Hill, Diane Feinstein telling my story on the Senate floor during the ACA debate and my profile in the Federal Diary.

Bottom line, if something goes wrong in your pregancy and you need to terminate it will not be covered by the Feds health insurance.

I'm sorry to here that PP.

What would stop you from claiming rape? How could the insurance company prove that it wasn't rape?

[Anonymous]

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

[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

I used planned parenthood and there were no protesters. A lot of people always warn of protesters and that actually shys people away from getting one. Planned parenthood was awesome for me. Quick, cheap, not through my insurance so not on record, caring etc. You will need someone to go along with you to drive you home, not to be your bodyguard.

[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

I used planned parenthood and there were no protesters. A lot of people always warn of protesters and that actually shys people away from getting one. Planned parenthood was awesome for me. Quick, cheap, not through my insurance so not on record, caring etc. You will need someone to go along with you to drive you home, not to be your bodyguard.

The two I've been to in Silver Spring and downtown DC, not for abortions, regularly have protestors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LIVID here. Abortions are covered in these 3 circumstances, rape, incest, life of the mother. When they say "life of the mother" they mean your life is in immediate danger unless the pregnancy is terminated in the next 10 minutes. That means severe preeclampsia, bp shooting through the roof, organs beginning to fail, they will cover it. Diagnosed with cancer and you need to terminate in order to get chemo, probably not.

It also does not cover termination when the fetus has an anomoly. My baby had anencephaly and my abortion was not covered. I hve the letter from BCBS saying that "yes, we saw that your baby had anencephaly but our medical experts determined that you could have carried to term."

Go back and search the archives using LIVID. The first postings should begin around October-November 2008. You will see the detailed account of my fight with the insurance carrier, my lobbying efforts on Capitol Hill, Diane Feinstein telling my story on the Senate floor during the ACA debate and my profile in the Federal Diary.

Bottom line, if something goes wrong in your pregancy and you need to terminate it will not be covered by the Feds health insurance.

I'm sorry to here that PP.


LIVID here. First of all, when we went in for the abortion I wasn't aware of the provisions. Our insurance coverage really wasn't the first thing on our minds. It wasn't until I started getting the denials of coverage from the insurance company that I found out about the provisions. Second, I am guessing, but I'm not certain, that I would have had to file a police report that the insurance company would have requested and the police report would have to be dated about 11 weeks earlier than the date of my termination. Third, I wasn't raped. My husband and I wanted to have a baby. I don't think I could have filed a police report after the fact and even if I could, I wouldn't claim that my husband raped me in order to get insurance coverage. I would never claim that my husband raped me in the first place, and second, I believe that is at the very least fraud.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LIVID here. Abortions are covered in these 3 circumstances, rape, incest, life of the mother. When they say "life of the mother" they mean your life is in immediate danger unless the pregnancy is terminated in the next 10 minutes. That means severe preeclampsia, bp shooting through the roof, organs beginning to fail, they will cover it. Diagnosed with cancer and you need to terminate in order to get chemo, probably not.

It also does not cover termination when the fetus has an anomoly. My baby had anencephaly and my abortion was not covered. I hve the letter from BCBS saying that "yes, we saw that your baby had anencephaly but our medical experts determined that you could have carried to term."

Go back and search the archives using LIVID. The first postings should begin around October-November 2008. You will see the detailed account of my fight with the insurance carrier, my lobbying efforts on Capitol Hill, Diane Feinstein telling my story on the Senate floor during the ACA debate and my profile in the Federal Diary.

Bottom line, if something goes wrong in your pregancy and you need to terminate it will not be covered by the Feds health insurance.

I'm sorry to here that PP.


LIVID here. First of all, when we went in for the abortion I wasn't aware of the provisions. Our insurance coverage really wasn't the first thing on our minds. It wasn't until I started getting the denials of coverage from the insurance company that I found out about the provisions. Second, I am guessing, but I'm not certain, that I would have had to file a police report that the insurance company would have requested and the police report would have to be dated about 11 weeks earlier than the date of my termination. Third, I wasn't raped. My husband and I wanted to have a baby. I don't think I could have filed a police report after the fact and even if I could, I wouldn't claim that my husband raped me in order to get insurance coverage. I would never claim that my husband raped me in the first place, and second, I believe that is at the very least fraud.

Understood, but can an insurance company force you to file a police report? That's a scary concept. I just think that the whole thing is insane.

[Anonymous]

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.

[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.

Umm rape victims can be married, too. By people other than their spouses. And still stay married. You're stupid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Umm rape victims can be married, too. By people other than their spouses. And still stay married. You're stupid.

Not LIVID, but really pp? "You're stupid?" LIVID has provided real information and has actually advocated for women like me. I say, THANK YOU.

And no, you can't claim rape if you haven't been raped. That would be insurance fraud. Married or not.

[Anonymous]

Whatever clinic you go to, ask if they have regular protesters. I drive by one everyday to drop my kids off at school and every Friday there are protesters with the requisite placards. My children haven't noticed yet, but someday I might have to start driving a new route.