Healthcare and Pregnancy in the U.S.?
Jul 1st 2012, 5:15 pm
#16
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Re: Healthcare and Pregnancy in the U.S.?
Expect bills like this to continue to trickle in for at least the next several months - I once got a bill for something that had happened 18 months previosly.
Jul 1st 2012, 5:18 pm
#17
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Re: Healthcare and Pregnancy in the U.S.?
Your husband's colleague will potentially become a very valuable source of information about a lot of these questions (assuming, of course, that this is something that you and your husband would feel comfortable asking them about).
Jul 1st 2012, 6:28 pm
#18
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Re: Healthcare and Pregnancy in the U.S.?
Agreed. Not sure about fortnightly but some friends had twins a couple of months ago with numerous routine scans - certainly a lot more than with a "normal" pregnancy.
Back 5 years ago the scan lasted maybe 15 minutes. Nine months ago with baby #2 the scan lasted a good half hour with far more tests and examination than previously, such is the progress of what they can do with ultrasounds now.
Back 5 years ago the scan lasted maybe 15 minutes. Nine months ago with baby #2 the scan lasted a good half hour with far more tests and examination than previously, such is the progress of what they can do with ultrasounds now.
Jul 1st 2012, 6:58 pm
#20
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Re: Healthcare and Pregnancy in the U.S.?
my experience is that even with "good" corporate group plans, healthcare is a nightmare here in the US (and Boston is meant to be the world capital for healthcare!)
- monthly cost around $1400 for a family, company covers about 75%
- deductible (excess) around $500
- copay every visit - $20 to see the doctor, $100 for emergency room, $400 if you have to stay overnight in hospital
- a hospital visit can lead to 3-4 different bills from a variety of private entities you didn't know existed.
- every medical visit leads to weeks of wrangling with the insurers
- wait months for routine care
- my son had to pay $1200 a month (well, we did) for time between college and starting a job. Gap year, anyone? (at least Obama-care fixes this, till age 26)
last year visiting back in London, got sick with a severe stomach bug, and after 3 days wasting away let my wife take me to the local hospital - got seen in 20 mins, no paperwork. And my mother in law in Manchester had better NHS treatment for cancer than anything I've seen here. I know every system has its problems, but the NHS is often simple and efficient. Michael Moore's Sicko is no exaggeration...
- monthly cost around $1400 for a family, company covers about 75%
- deductible (excess) around $500
- copay every visit - $20 to see the doctor, $100 for emergency room, $400 if you have to stay overnight in hospital
- a hospital visit can lead to 3-4 different bills from a variety of private entities you didn't know existed.
- every medical visit leads to weeks of wrangling with the insurers
- wait months for routine care
- my son had to pay $1200 a month (well, we did) for time between college and starting a job. Gap year, anyone? (at least Obama-care fixes this, till age 26)
last year visiting back in London, got sick with a severe stomach bug, and after 3 days wasting away let my wife take me to the local hospital - got seen in 20 mins, no paperwork. And my mother in law in Manchester had better NHS treatment for cancer than anything I've seen here. I know every system has its problems, but the NHS is often simple and efficient. Michael Moore's Sicko is no exaggeration...
Jul 1st 2012, 10:01 pm
#21
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Re: Healthcare and Pregnancy in the U.S.?
I only get one 4D one though - that is closer to 30 weeks.
Jul 1st 2012, 10:02 pm
#22
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Re: Healthcare and Pregnancy in the U.S.?
We are lucky to have insurance, mind you!
Jul 1st 2012, 10:06 pm
#23
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Re: Healthcare and Pregnancy in the U.S.?
Back for OP: don't worry about this part of your possible move here. If its a multinational, most likely there will be 2-3 plans to choose from, with ranges of premiums and deductibles. HR from the company will provide that info to you now or most likely when discussions are more set for a possible move, as this is part of the decision-making process and they know that.
Smaller companies offer most likely only one plan but it will be better than any private, individual plan you will find to cover you and your husband and/family.
Smaller companies offer most likely only one plan but it will be better than any private, individual plan you will find to cover you and your husband and/family.
Jul 2nd 2012, 12:13 am
#24
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Re: Healthcare and Pregnancy in the U.S.?
.Of course, on the NHS you get the midwife and then health visitor visits at home for a good few weeks and then can pop-in to the baby clinic any time too. Something I understand is pretty rare here! Our cousin's baby has only been for two check-ups in 3 months, no home visits, and that was after delivery on her own in the hospital car park (classed as a "home" delivery as it didn't happen within the hospital walls) with low bilirubin (um, jaundice I think).
Jul 2nd 2012, 1:03 am
#25
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Re: Healthcare and Pregnancy in the U.S.?
My husband is working for a large company with headquarters in the U.S. - and so do I. On my husband's side, there's a good chance he may be transferred to the U.S. in a few years time (or Canada, but that would be a different forum). I'm not sure whether I could transfer within my company, but ironically, both our companies are headquartered in the same U.S. city!
Now, I know that healthcare in the U.S. is expensive. Could you let me know how much insurance usually costs for a (by then) mid-30s couple?
Given that one day, we may want to start a family - what happens when you fall pregnant? Does this get covered by the insurance? How much does it usually cost to give birth, etc. when you're there?
Now, I know that healthcare in the U.S. is expensive. Could you let me know how much insurance usually costs for a (by then) mid-30s couple?
Given that one day, we may want to start a family - what happens when you fall pregnant? Does this get covered by the insurance? How much does it usually cost to give birth, etc. when you're there?
Jul 2nd 2012, 3:37 pm
#26
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Re: Healthcare and Pregnancy in the U.S.?
Moving now or in a couple of years?
Any advice about now will probably be worthless in 2 years time, if Obamacare gets a shot at least.
Any advice about now will probably be worthless in 2 years time, if Obamacare gets a shot at least.
Jul 2nd 2012, 3:43 pm
#27
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Re: Healthcare and Pregnancy in the U.S.?
If you are covered under a company group health plan, don't worry a bit about falling pregnant here. We came specifically from Scotland for the health care as I was having difficulty falling pregnant and NHS wasn't much help in diagnosis nor treatment of our difficulty in two years. And we DID have the postcode lottery winning area! We came to Houston and within a DAY we had a diagnosis and treatment started immediately. I very soon fell pregnant with twins, which with our insurance, puts me immediately in high risk pregnancy, which is fine as I get seen every 2 weeks until week 28 then I go every week. This includes an ultrasound at each appointment. I'd never get that level of attention with NHS. Plus, for any complications, we are safe to know the number of Level III NICUs in Houston. (Although we are blessed and all is quite fine with the babies.)
However, I just met a lady whose son and daughter in law moved back to Scotland in order to give birth as they didn't have health insurance here. (He was self-employed contractor with only a catastrophic plan for themselves, which does not cover maternity.) Hospitals here demanded $10,000 deposit. And no confirmation of final charges as no one can confirm there will be zero complications. That does not include pre-natal or OB care. That is separate.
Sadly as good as the health care is in the USA, it is for those who can well afford it. For your case, I'm sure the health insurance offered by your respective companies will be quite adequate. Meaning, you'll not need to go seek private health insurance.
However, I just met a lady whose son and daughter in law moved back to Scotland in order to give birth as they didn't have health insurance here. (He was self-employed contractor with only a catastrophic plan for themselves, which does not cover maternity.) Hospitals here demanded $10,000 deposit. And no confirmation of final charges as no one can confirm there will be zero complications. That does not include pre-natal or OB care. That is separate.
Sadly as good as the health care is in the USA, it is for those who can well afford it. For your case, I'm sure the health insurance offered by your respective companies will be quite adequate. Meaning, you'll not need to go seek private health insurance.
The only difference between the two is one usually has the option to chose where to go on the NHS while in the US you are beholden to where your insurance tells you or where you can afford to.
Jul 2nd 2012, 3:45 pm
#28
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Re: Healthcare and Pregnancy in the U.S.?
Jul 2nd 2012, 5:52 pm
#29
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Re: Healthcare and Pregnancy in the U.S.?
I hope you are querying every one that comes through. We've just managed to save ourselves 5k in medical bills from my husband's surgery before Xmas by phoning and asking what they were for. Some had been sent in error, some had been processed at the wrong coverage level etc. I refuse to pay any medical bills without querying them. The whole process in mind boggling, I'm sure the insurance companies make millions from bills sent in error to people who just pay them.
Jul 2nd 2012, 6:17 pm
#30
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Re: Healthcare and Pregnancy in the U.S.?
I hope you are querying every one that comes through. We've just managed to save ourselves 5k in medical bills from my husband's surgery before Xmas by phoning and asking what they were for. Some had been sent in error, some had been processed at the wrong coverage level etc. I refuse to pay any medical bills without querying them. The whole process in mind boggling, I'm sure the insurance companies make millions from bills sent in error to people who just pay them.