Health Insurance Question.... - Berwyn,IL

If you are struggling with the cost of being in a group plan with your hubby. You may wish to consider finding a place to work part time that offers health insurance. This would help not only with a full insurance coverage but also prevent $$ troubles down the road and keep you mostly a stay at home Mom and give hubby quality time with your child and give you an outside break. Alot of big box retailers offer the health insurance to part time after a grace period of 30-90 days. This would include your maternity coverage and give you a secondary back up should hubby become unemployed in this uncertain economy. I understand the passion to be soley an at home Mom but you also need the security of financial stability. The cost for catastrophic health insurance is alot along with the risk of outlaying extra for maternity benefits, plus right now if you are uninsured and make just a little to much money for state care right now the cost of one ER visit for something as simple as 7 stitches would be topping 1200.00 for one time. Get strep throat or uti and go to a regular doc they will want it upfront about 120.00-150.00. If you were to get pregnant and have a normal pregnancy about 7k. If you have complications and need alot of interventions and the baby does too then you are looking at minimun 30k-300k. So how much is his health insurance to get onto, call a local insurance agent like state farm or allstate or country companies and then bc/bs and also get quotes w and without maternity coverage. Then you will have real numbers to work with. By the way ususally retail employers have a discount for their merchandise if you work for them as well.

First you are going to be hard pressed to find private insurance that covers maternity. Even without maternity you are talking around $250-$450 a month for single coverage. I say that because it will give you an idea if perhaps your husband's insurance is a better deal than you think.

Oh and here's the rub, you ask for maternity and it goes through the roof because they know you are planning on having more children.

BCBS of Illinois is the only carrier that still offers a true maternity benefit. The premium is approximately an additional $200/month for the maternity benefit. The maternity benefit rider must be on the policy for 12 months before you deliver the baby for BCBS to pay for the delivery. Your best option for coverage would be the HSA compatible plans with 100% coverage after deductible. BCBS offers a $1200 deductible plan and with maternity coverage, the monthly premium will be around $370 ($170 without maternity coverage). The HSA plan is the best option for low premium and low over all out of pocket expenses (your out of pocket is generally capped at your deductible). In addition, there are some tax benefits to take advantage of. In the industry, the HSA plans are considered to be some of the best plans available. If planning on using the maternity benfit, the HSA is a good option to consider.

I would be happy to assist you or answer any other questions you have!

You could always go with a high-deductible plan. The premium is lower than a traditional plan, and you might be responsible for the first $1500/year of medical expenses (doctor visits, hospital, prescriptions). After that everything is covered. It's not ideal, but it's better than having to declare bankruptcy if you break your arm or something.

I would get on with hubbies Insurance before your time is up & have to wait till the next open enrollment period.You think that is expensive looking into private health care will cost you more & if there are any pre- existing conditions for anyone your applying for they may not even get covered worse denied health care coverage.Put the baby making on hold till you you have insurance if not your paying 100% of all charges for your pregnancy & after care for baby at least with an insurance plan you'll have an individual deductible/family deductible then coinsurnce after that all is paid at 100% for the remainder of the year.If you do find a private health insurance go over the plan make sure that office visits are covered with no minimum,prescriptions,ER,pre-exisiting conditions,blood work,surgeries

not sure if you have Kaiser in your area.... I got it for my daughter who lives in an area that has Kaiser. I don't so I don't have it but I would if I could!
http://www.superpages.com/bp/Rosemont-IL/Kaiser-Permanent...