Individual Health Insurance (with Maternity) for Couple in Indiana

bryan2449 · 06-08-2009, 02:09 PM

Hello everyone,

I hope that someone here can help me out. I've been fighting with these questions for over a year now.

I am a full-time college student. I am married with no kids. Both my wife and I were dropped from our parents health insurance when we were married. We are trying to find a plan in Indiana that has maternity because we want to have a child (we will both be 25 soon).

It's very hard to find individual health insurance with maternity coverage. Anyone know of any good plans in Indiana? Most that I have seen have a 12 month waiting period for maternity coverage. Does that mean that you can't get pregnant before the 12 months? How are costs accrued due to pregnancy (for example, prenatal care, ultrasounds, etc) covered without maternity? In other words, if you dont have maternity, does an individual plan still pay a certain percentage (after deductible)?

Please help. I'm so lost. I feel like a 3 year old thrown into a 50 year-old's world. We are currently paying almost $400 per month with Aetna (without maternity, turns out they don't even offer it as an option) and I know we're getting screwed over big time.

Any help or suggestions you can offer are greatly appreciated.

Bryan

CHUMPS FROM OXFORD · 06-08-2009, 02:16 PM

Hi Bryan

I'm located a bit west of you in the Kings Island area.

Feel free to email me at eharris@ohioquotes.com or call me at (888) 513 6446. I handle Oh, In and Pa.

There are a few options, including Anthem, UHC etc...

Take care

Ed

WebHoosier was used in this post

bryan2449 · 06-08-2009, 02:27 PM

Originally Posted by CHUMPS FROM OXFORD

Hi Bryan

There are a few options, including Anthem, UHC etc...

Ha. Well I think UHC is out - Golden Rule already turned us down last year because my wife has PolySystic Ovarian Syndrome. The company rep just kept repeating himself over and over that my wife was diabetic - they just didn't get it.

We did have BCBS for a while - I didn't think much of them one way or the other... Are they the best option? Oh, one more clarification - we are currently living in FL and have insurance with Aetna. We will be moving back to Indiana at the end of this month. Could the Aetna coverage transfer? I will be graduating in May 2010 (so I may be starting to work full-time and qualify for group coverage). Is a short term plan a viable option to cover us until then?

CHUMPS FROM OXFORD · 06-08-2009, 02:40 PM

Humana, Unicare and the dreaded Assurant are also options. I don't write Assurant in In and I don't think (I could be wrong) that Unicare offers maternity in In.

Also the PolySystic Ovarian Syndrome could be an issue.

bryan2449 · 06-08-2009, 02:59 PM

Why is Assurant dreaded? From online quotes, they seem to offer the best bang for the buck - Is there something I should know?

bcbroker · 06-08-2009, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by bryan2449

Hello everyone,

I hope that someone here can help me out. I've been fighting with these questions for over a year now.

I am a full-time college student. I am married with no kids. Both my wife and I were dropped from our parents health insurance when we were married. We are trying to find a plan in Indiana that has maternity because we want to have a child (we will both be 25 soon).

It's very hard to find individual health insurance with maternity coverage. Anyone know of any good plans in Indiana? Most that I have seen have a 12 month waiting period for maternity coverage. Does that mean that you can't get pregnant before the 12 months? How are costs accrued due to pregnancy (for example, prenatal care, ultrasounds, etc) covered without maternity? In other words, if you dont have maternity, does an individual plan still pay a certain percentage (after deductible)?

Please help. I'm so lost. I feel like a 3 year old thrown into a 50 year-old's world. We are currently paying almost $400 per month with Aetna (without maternity, turns out they don't even offer it as an option) and I know we're getting screwed over big time.

Any help or suggestions you can offer are greatly appreciated.

Bryan

call 1-800-433-0553, We'll take care of it!
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Originally Posted by bryan2449

Why is Assurant dreaded? From online quotes, they seem to offer the best bang for the buck - Is there something I should know?

There's a lot you should know, and btw, I used to work for them.

somarco · 06-08-2009, 03:21 PM

PCOS is viewed in the same manner as diabetes since it is most often treated with the same medication. It's not that the carriers don't get it, they do.

Trying to find maternity coverage with PCOS is like trying to find a fiscally conservative politician in Washington.

bryan2449 · 06-09-2009, 07:20 AM

Originally Posted by somarco

PCOS is viewed in the same manner as diabetes since it is most often treated with the same medication. It's not that the carriers don't get it, they do.

Trying to find maternity coverage with PCOS is like trying to find a fiscally conservative politician in Washington.

Well ... that's partially true. My wife doesn't even take medication for it. Plus PCOS doesn't necessarily have the same long-term costs associated with it as diabetes.

Why would maternity be difficult. It seems like if anything, companies would be lining up to offer maternity to women with PCOS because they have a much lower probability of getting pregnant (ie. the carrier makes more money in the long run).
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somarco · 06-09-2009, 07:37 AM

To repeat . . .

PCOS is viewed in the same manner as diabetes since it is most often treated with the same medication. It's not that the carriers don't get it, they do.

Trying to find maternity coverage with PCOS is like trying to find a fiscally conservative politician in Washington.

Carriers follow the statistics, and PCOS can lead to heart disease or diabetes. Should a female with PCOS become pregnant there is a high probability of complications including miscarriage.

You say you are with Aetna and getting screwed. If so, change carriers.

Of course that still won't address your desire for maternity coverage.

If you want full coverage with maternity, find a job that includes health insurance.

bryan2449 · 06-09-2009, 09:02 AM

Im a student.

Anyway - to think that the only way to get decent coverage is through a group policy shows much of what is wrong with healthcare today.

What about the guy running his own business or the student, etc. Shouldn't they be able to get decent medical care, even though they don't work for a company that provides a group policy? Especially, if they are willing to pay for it?

I tend to be conservative but this whole health insurance thing has me thinking that there has to be a better way. And yes, I understand PCOS - I have to live with it (vicariously, of course). My wife is not taking medication, not obese, not hypertensive, has good cholesterol levels, etc.

I know that everyone thinks that they are the exception to the rule - I think that we really are. Plus, we are only looking for insurance until I do get a job after graduation. How silly is it to deny coverage to 2 perfectly healthly people in their early 20s just because one of them has a condition (which is pretty much not even true anymore since they took her off the meds awhile back) that could lead to something 30+ years down the road?

ABC · 06-09-2009, 09:35 AM

PM sent

CHUMPS FROM OXFORD · 06-09-2009, 09:42 AM

PM sent yesterday

moonlightandmargaritas · 06-09-2009, 09:44 AM

PM will be sent tomorrow.

somarco · 06-09-2009, 10:08 AM

How silly is it to deny coverage to 2 perfectly healthly people

If both of you were perfectly healthy there would be no problem.

Fact is, at least one of you is not.

You have not been denied coverage. You have (by your own admission) health insurance.

FWIW, maternity is not an illness, therefore there is no reason for a health insurance policy to cover a planned event. You have 9 months or longer to save for the event. Perhaps you should start now.

In spite of how you feel, the world does not owe you any favors. Get over it.

Singing lessons over.

healthagent · 06-09-2009, 10:20 AM

I called my auto carrier today - told them we need to buy another car but it's like $20,000 for a new car and we can't afford one. I can't believe they told me they won't pay for a new car! What am I paying premiums for - just in case I have an accident or theft? Geez.

Next I'm calling my homeowners carrier - we'd them to pay for a little cottage on the lake for a summer home.

bryan2449 · 06-09-2009, 10:28 AM

I don't feel like the world owes me anything. Let's get that fact straight right now.

What I am trying to say is that we are being thrown into a class of people just because of word basically. Due to the fact that she has no symptoms and currently has a healthcare cost of $0. No drugs, no office visits, etc.

Secondly, yes we have been denied coverage because of the PCOS (and that was back when we weren't even thinking about maternity). If you had read my other posts instead of jumping to conclusions, you would have known that. I'm not here to argue - just to try and get some advice.

I go to school full-time and work part-time at $11 per hour. I don't really have the earning power to save up enough for everything.

In the end, do most people that have individual plans just bite the bullet and pay the full cost of prenatal care, delivery, etc? Is that the way to go?

And health agent, your analogy is inaccurate and not helpful-

CHUMPS FROM OXFORD · 06-09-2009, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by moonlightandmargaritas

PM will be sent tomorrow.

Another PM will be sent Thursday.
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Bryan...you do have some maternity options. One idea is working directly with the hospital and negotiating a fee (the old "stork" program).

If you would like to deal with an experienced broker in your area, we'll find one for you.

bryan2449 · 06-09-2009, 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by CHUMPS FROM OXFORD

Another PM will be sent Thursday.
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Bryan...you do have some maternity options. One idea is working directly with the hospital and negotiating a fee (the old "stork" program).

If you would like to deal with an experienced broker in your area, we'll find one for you.

Yes, I've heard about negotiating something like that. How does it work?

CHUMPS FROM OXFORD · 06-09-2009, 11:00 AM

Essentially...you secure a maternity package with the hospital. Usually, the fee is set in advance and you must use their facilities.

You may want to call a few hospitals in your area and see if they will offer such a program. And there is always the chance that will negotiate with you in advance as well.

InsureGuy5 · 06-09-2009, 11:08 AM

Bryan,

I write Assurant in IN. They only have a three month waiting period to conceive, but their maternity specific deductible is a little high in some areas. Please feel free to contact me and I can walk you through your options.