Insurance Nightmare
Tuesday I went to my 12-week check-up. The good news is I heard the baby's heartbeat (presto vivace!), I'm not putting on too much weight too fast, my blood pressure is nice and low, and my Slavic body is basically designed for this whole pregnancy thing. The bad news is the m#$&%r f*^%ing new insurance that Eli's company switched to January 1 is not accepted by my doctor. My doctor whom I adore! At her all female practice full of other young, smart female doctors who actually take as much time answering your questions as you need.
So, basically, I am screwed. I could go out of network, pay 70-30. If it were that straightforward, I would. But the $4,800 delivery charge needs to be paid by the 8th month of pregnancy and, since I would be out of network, I would have to pay that all out of pocket! Then, if I don't call the Care Coordination Center for Non-Network (sounds like a Soviet bureaucracy), or the call gets lost, before I check into the hospital they will only cover 50-50.
I had a major pregnancy hormonal moment and cried after talking to the insurance company, located in the enlightened city of El Paso. My Yankee speech patterns threw off the southern boy answering the phone and I had to v e r y s l o w l y repeat my subscriber ID a few times. If my choice on the phone is between some good ol' boy down in Texas and some nice Hindu boy in Bombay, I'll take the latter any day. At least they understand English.
Fortunately, my doctor was able to recommend a couple other female doctors at Northwestern who accept our new shitty insurance and I managed to make an appointment with one of them, as the other couldn't see me for my 16-week appointment until my 18th week. I was worried I would end up giving birth at some Catholic hospital on the far west side with a crucifix hanging over my rickety hospital bed and an evil nun with an epidural needle and a wicked grin by my side.
Thank God I have medical insurance, unlike gazillions of Americans. And it is only going to get worse.
So, basically, I am screwed. I could go out of network, pay 70-30. If it were that straightforward, I would. But the $4,800 delivery charge needs to be paid by the 8th month of pregnancy and, since I would be out of network, I would have to pay that all out of pocket! Then, if I don't call the Care Coordination Center for Non-Network (sounds like a Soviet bureaucracy), or the call gets lost, before I check into the hospital they will only cover 50-50.
I had a major pregnancy hormonal moment and cried after talking to the insurance company, located in the enlightened city of El Paso. My Yankee speech patterns threw off the southern boy answering the phone and I had to v e r y s l o w l y repeat my subscriber ID a few times. If my choice on the phone is between some good ol' boy down in Texas and some nice Hindu boy in Bombay, I'll take the latter any day. At least they understand English.
Fortunately, my doctor was able to recommend a couple other female doctors at Northwestern who accept our new shitty insurance and I managed to make an appointment with one of them, as the other couldn't see me for my 16-week appointment until my 18th week. I was worried I would end up giving birth at some Catholic hospital on the far west side with a crucifix hanging over my rickety hospital bed and an evil nun with an epidural needle and a wicked grin by my side.
Thank God I have medical insurance, unlike gazillions of Americans. And it is only going to get worse.
posted by Mi at 1:54 AM
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