SarahH1409

Hi guys!
Hopefully this forum is the answer to my prayers!!

We are relocating to Houston from Aberdeen in the next couple of months. We have been going back and fore there for almost 10yrs with my husbands work, plus he has family based there so we know the area pretty well...

What we dont know is all the other stuff like how we go about finding good schools (well preschool, our daughter is 3yrs old).
How to go about finding decent doctors, again very important as I am currently expecting our second child.

We can get advice from family that are already there, but without being rude, they are all older generation so havent needed to research schools etc for a long time!

The area we are looking at for purchasing our home is either Tuscan Lakes or Whispering Lakes Ranch both by League City(ish) area.

Looking forward to hearing from you!
Thanks in advance
Sarah xx

Noorah101

Hi Sarah, Welcome to BE.

What visa are you guys coming over on? Since you mention a transfer, I assume it's an L visa through your or your husband's employer?

As for doctors, you'll have to see what the employer's health insurance is like. Depending on that, you might have a network of doctors you have to use, and you'll have to do some research or meet them in person to pick one you're compatible with.

Best Wishes,
Rene

SarahH1409

Hi, thanks for your reply. It is actually an I-130 we are coming in on... after nearly 9yr application we have finally been accepted

My husbands employers head office is in Houston (he works in the oil field) so they have transfered him on to the American HR people (he works in Canada at the moment on a 4wk rotation) so I need to check as to health insurance etc with them.

fatbrit

This is a major concern.

Bill_S

Fatbrit is correct. You need to do more than "check" with them. You need absolute, positive confirmation in writing that your delivery will be covered by his plan. If you can't/don't get that, do not give birth in the USA unless you want to pay the bills yourselves.

avanutria

Hi, my brother and sister in law live in Friendswood, and had a baby last year. If you get stuck for options let me know your email address and problem, and I can ask them for advice.

SarahH1409

If we have to pay the bills ourself that is ok as we have money set aside for this incase, but as far as I know it is covered as we have friends based there already through his work that are on the same insurance and all their children have been covered by this.
When I said "check" I meant as if the insurance themself recommended any doctors/hospitals

SarahH1409

Oooh, that would be perfect as we know Friendswood very well, we have family there. I will get back to you with my email if I dont come up with anything with my own research.

fatbrit

Very few people have enough money set-aside for the size of medical bills you can quickly generate in the US. Have a complication and the newborn in IC for a week or three.....and your bill can reach the hundreds of thousands. Have a conventional pregnancy with a one-night stay and you're still in the tens of thousands.

SarahH1409

Thanks for judging my bank balance, but we have it covered thank you!

elfman

do you have $20-25k set aside for this?

SarahH1409

Yes, we do!! We have almost £100k coming with us with selling our home here.

As I said we have been waiting for this visa to be granted for 9yrs so have been saving, we already have a large amount of money in our US bank account, plus what we will be taking with us.

I am not out to try and screw over any government or systems... we have done everything by the book.

Edit to add.... I also wouldnt put my unborn child at risk by not having money to fund any medical expence needed to bring it in to the world and and future health problems!

Mummy in the foothills

For a healthy normal vaginal delivery maybe?

I'd defiantly want something in writing from the insurance company covering the family giving proof to you and the medical people that the birth will indeed be covered, then all you have to pay is a couple of thousand for your share of the birth.

Don't take offense or get the hump when people keep going on about that stuff, it seems new immigrants rarely get the ridiculous health care system here. Plus many of us have been burned by it pretty bad over the years.
Learn from our mistakes if possible, after all you did come here asking questions.

fatbrit

Unless you're out there in the Top 100 league, US health care is quite capable of writing a bill that far exceeds any regular guy's bank balance. 100k is chump change to these people.

I suggest you plan more carefully than you obviously have. This will involve phoning folks and homework. You might even hold a plan B to have the child back in the UK. But it's your funeral., not mine!

SarahH1409

Thanks!
I'm not getting the hump, I just felt I was getting judged when beleive me I would never come in and either not be covered or not have enough money to cover our medical needs.

I have already explained that we are covered by insurance and when I said "check" earlier I was referring to if the insurance prefered certain doctors or medical centres over others as I know when we have been there visiting and my daughter fell ill when we called our insurance (again through his work!) we were told which ER to take her to.

Sorry, maybe I am just being an over emotional hormonal mess