Thursday, January 23, 2014

Unexpected stress-

I've had one hell of a week. Babies are fine, let me say that up front. I can find both on the doppler, they seem to have moved near each other (no doubt to poke/kick each other) but are well.

It's an unexpected, sudden, change in insurance. I had already resigned myself to what we would pay for the delivery under our insurance plan (which is much worse than the one we had with V) when they decided to change plans again this year... effective February 1st. First of all, my old deductible was $1k, now it's $5k (family deductible went from $2k to $10k). I have to pay 100% on all my maternal fetal ultrasounds until our deductible is met, because they aren't counted as appointments with an ultrasound it's just billed as a stand alone ultrasound. Oh, and the ultrasounds are double billed because there are two babies, so instead of just being $175 or whatever, they're $288. I have to have those scans once a month. With my $1k deductible that wouldn't have been as bad, but with a $5k... I just don't know how we're going to make it work. I also pay $55 for every OB appointment. After deductible we pay 20% until we reach our $12,700 OOP max (used to be $3k I think!)... then everything is covered 100%. Yeah.

Umm. Sum up... we're going to end up paying thousands more than expected. We'll be paying 100% on my MFM appointments, and I can't make payments on those- I have to pay them, or I can't get another appointment. Basically I will be paying $443 each month for appointments and my medication. I was not prepared for this. Once we go to bi-weekly and weekly appointments that cost will increase by a hell of a lot more. And there's no way I'm meeting that deductible before delivery, despite all that.

A's work is offering a health reimbursement account that they pay into which will help with our deductible, but it's an unknown percent and I know we'll still be paying a lot with double ultrasounds and a double c-section.

It's horrible timing, and I am just at a loss. I'm trying not to think about it, I'm budgeting and we're going to get through this. I'm just devastated though. It's SO MUCH worse that I am flabbergasted.

Now that I got that out there, I'm going to lay is aside. I can live more frugally, somehow. I can make this work. This isn't the end of the world. We will survive.

5 comments:

Melis.sa said...

That's awful!!! I'm glad you and the babies are well.

Jennifer said...

Wow, that really sucks. Every year our insurance at work seems to get worse. It's just a question of how much. I don't know the reason, but medical costs are out of control. I just paid OOP for my first ultrasound - and I still haven't gotten the bill from the doctor (who reviewed the ultrasound pics), who by the way, I didn't even see!

Anonymous said...

Wow. That is wretched.

Have you thought about checking the Federal Exchange? Perhaps there is an option that is cheaper?

I hope you find a solution quickly so you don't have to stress about it.

Rebecca said...

Medical is so broken!

MrsSpock said...

Holy crap, that is a lot of money. My husband is probably underpaid as far as salary goes (though we have nothing to complain about with that), however the medical benefits more than make up for it. I don;t have to be under my employer's lackluster insurance plan, and I am rather expensive when it comes to medical issues. My c-section will cost us supposedly $100 out of pocket, and I paid nothing for all of the extra NSTs (twice a week for last 7 weeks), ultrasounds, and OB visits.