pregnant and needing health insurance

Redlady · Feb 20, 2007

Not 100% sure, but you can google HIPPA laws. I'm pretty sure that HIPPA prevents pregnancy from being a pre-existing condition in most cases, but there are loopholes.

As far as will she have to wait for insurance coverage - that depends on the employer (at least here in MI). My employer has a 30 day waiting period, the University gives you coverage on the day you start, and other companies vary.

nurse_nan · Feb 20, 2007

If she has already had treatment for the pregnancy under her current insurance, they may have to cover the expenses for the whole thing. She needs to check with her current employer's insurance.

allnurses Guide · Feb 20, 2007

I was in your friend's exact situation just a few months ago. Well, my situation was a LITTLE different in that I had accepted a new job and THEN found out just about three days later than I was pregnant! And, at that time I strongly considered just staying at my old job... but then ultimately decided that I simply could not take that job anymore, and also had a fear, perhaps irrational, that if I didn't leave the job then, I never would have another opportunity to.

Does your friend already have insurance and benefits? Because ultimately, my best advice would be to stick around where she is at least until after the baby is born. Switching jobs when I did, really caused a lot of headache for me and my family.

However, if she doesn't have any benefits anyway, or can't afford benefits at the job she is working, benefits aren't good there, whatever.... well, my experience was this... I left my old job on July the 13th. Started new job on July the 17th. Found out at new job that insurance would not take effect until OVER TWO MONTHS after my start date. My insurance from my old job actually stayed in effect until August 1st and then at that time, I had to pick up COBRA coverage. Had COBRA for the month of August... let me tell you, COBRA is very very expensive. I was going to take COBRA for both August and September, but ended up only picking it up for August.

Anyway, I was told by the HR dept. at my new employer, that my new insurance would MOST likely pick up my pregnancy expenses, but that I would also be smart to make SURE that there wasn't more than a 60 day lapse between coverage. Hence, I picked up COBRA for August, but not Sept., and I ended up not even having any doctor's appt's in September.

So... if I were your friend... again first of all I would strongly consider sticking with her current job if she has good insurance and such already. But if that isn't the case, I would have her speak to the HR and benefits people in depth about her situation, at whatever new job she becomes interested in.

Jules A, MSN · Feb 20, 2007

I think as long as there isn't a lapse in coverage, for example she goes from one insurance policy or COBRA to the new one, there shouldn't be pre-existing issues. I think RealNurseWitch added some excellent points especially about considering sticking it out with her current job until after the baby. I hope it works out ok for her and congrats on the baby. Jules

TazziRN, RN · Feb 20, 2007

Every insurance I've had have asked me at one time or another if a problem was pre-existing and did I have coverage before for it. If there was uninterrupted coverage then the new policy covered it.