Wife is pregnant no insurance

[u/Sam3325]

Hello my wife is pregnant she’s due October 17th She started a new job last year where she has no benefits she makes $72k a year and I make 55k a year. She had insurance from her last job and I have insurance through my job. She was promised benefits but never an exact date so at the meantime I didn’t add her under my insurance thinking after the 90days they would give her the benefit package (big mistake) We’ll 2 month into her job she’s pregnant her job is yet to provide insurance they have said they don’t know when she will get benefits. She works 40-35 hours a week but on paper it says she’s part-time. We do not qualify for Medicare because we make to much just wanted to see is there any way she could get insurance or help? We do make enough but with all our bills and debt we don’t know if the hospital bill will be to much for us. Doctor visits isn’t a problem but knowing thousands of dollars could be billed to us scares us

[u/wyliec22]

Sadly OP and spouse chose to go without coverage for her for an indefinite period. During that time, COBRA could have been chosen or she could have been added to OP’s plan or she could have obtained coverage through ACA plans (open enrollment).

The time periods for accessing those opportunities has passed.

From age 18 through my current 70s, I went to great lengths to ensure there was never a single day anyone in my family was without health insurance. Just too many unexpected things that can happen to take that risk.

[u/[deleted] → u/wyliec22]

Great for you. You realize you sound preachy rather than helpful, right? She was promised benefits. They didn’t come.

[u/wyliec22 → u/[deleted]]

They took a chance and lost. You have 63 days to retroactively elect COBRA. At that point, with no clear indication of if/when benefits would be available, you take COBRA. That’s what I did when changing jobs - yes, the premiums are steep as you’re no longer getting the employer contribution.

We have zero insight as to the nature of the ‘promise’, nor the details of her employment status and the policies involved.

[u/Sam3325 → u/[deleted]]

Thank you promised benefits that’s never came. It’s a risk we took at the moment trusting a county job because she works for the DA office in Gwinnett GA. The job is a high paying job I understand people say just quit but it’s not easy. Me and my wife and been trying to have a baby for 3 years planning and it ended up happening once there was no insurance. I know seems irresponsible but promised benefits that’s we trusted never came

[u/WestBaseball492 → u/Sam3325]

Wait, she is working for the county government? She needs to reach out to HR to rectify this. Is this part of her employment contract?  If she is working that many hours, she’s FT and should be receiving whatever benefits they offer. I assume she is not a 1099 contractor—if so, that would be a different situation.

If she is considered an employee by the county itself, they are breaking all kinds of rules in terms of employment classification and offering employees insurance as that is a large enough employer to be subject to those rules. 

[u/Mysterious-Art8838 → u/WestBaseball492]

I mean that took a WILD turn!!! I just assumed it was a tiny startup

[u/Txrh221 → u/WestBaseball492]

Yeah something isn’t right. Either the details are incorrect or his spouse is being mistreated.

[u/Txrh221 → u/Sam3325]

Dude if she works is government she’s covered by some kind of personnel rules. She’s entitled to benefits if she’s working 35 hour weeks. If she’s still considered part time because of a probationary status then that needs to be resolved.

https://www.gwinnettcounty.com/departments/hr/publicmeetings/-/bacs/committee/23-

I’m not from Georgia but I know local government. She should contact this agency and see if there’s anything they can do about her status.

[u/ThisIsMyNannyAcct → u/Sam3325]

You knowingly got pregnant without insurance? That’s…. A choice.

So is not carrying COBRA. I know it’s expensive as balls. I truly do. I’ve paid for it a few times in my life. It hurts to pay it, especially when unemployment.

But if you decided not to add her to yours, you should have picked COBRA in the meantime. ESPECIALLY if you were actively trying to get pregnant.

She should try to follow up with her job, but if it doesn’t work out, quitting might be her only option to get covered. You can try to go uninsured, but any complications with her or the baby could absolutely bankrupt you. My twin nephews spent a month and a half in the NICU. You just never know.

[u/Electrical_Key1139 → u/ThisIsMyNannyAcct]

The baby will be covered the second they are born as op can add them to coverage. Premature babies can rack up hundreds of thousands in bills so that is a relief but god forbid there are complications for mom. She is not covered.

[u/Soft_Plastic_1742 → u/Sam3325]

Promised benefits don’t explain why she didn’t have COBRA until the benefits kicked in.

[u/serenityrain85 → u/Sam3325]

Are they processing the paperwork and it's just not finalized yet? If so, it will be backdated.

[u/Miserable_Picture627 → u/Sam3325]

How is that even possible that the government she works for isn’t offering insurance? I’ve worked for two local municipalities (in CT. But still) and all of that was included in my hiring info and I was added on after 90 days. And this was 17 and 10 years ago.

[u/kmsparty → u/Sam3325]

Who promised these benefits? What is she being told about why she doesn’t have them yet? She needs to find out where she can look up any info regarding her employment.

[u/10MileHike → u/Sam3325]

other than getting her employer to make good on her promised insurance plan, i dont think you have a lot of options.... other than payment plan or homebirth with midwife perhaps? is cheaper?

your wife should not quit her job...thats good pay and knowing the region you live getting that paycheck isntvreplaceable easily. .

i hope she finds a solution thru her employer for sure!

and dont take this wrong but wanting a baby is no different than wanting or actually needing a running vehicle to get to work...yet there are no entitlements like medicaid where other taxpayers are going to pay for someones car. i certainly dont blame you for looking at any and all options though.

i know you must be over the moon about finally having a baby on the way....may your great joy overshadow any and all financial disappointments in this case.

[u/a_mulher → u/Sam3325]

What does the employee policy or manual say? I would ask for information through email from HR. If they insist on phone calls, always follow up with an email. Per out conversation this afternoon, recap that main points mentioned and then ask a clarifying question. I want to make sure I understood, you said blah blah blah, is that correct?