Got some bad insurance news

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I'm afraid to break the news to my husband that our child was turned down for our state insurance program. At first I thought it was because of something I did wrong, but found out that he would've been ineligible anyway. We were really counting on this to get our son started in a special school with full tuition coverage. Now we'll have to wait 3 months. I don't know how to tell my husband. He's had chronic un/under employment since our son was born and was looking forward to an opportunity to seriously focus on job-seeking. As it stands, with only my gross income, we're only a thousand dollars above the poverty line. And my net income is much lower because I pay child support for my two older children.

Why were you denied? Making to much money or other issue?

What state, if you don't mind me asking?

Would the fact that net income is lower because of child support be grounds for filing an official appeal?

And I take it the immediate issue is child care so your husband can concentrate on job hunting. Any friend or family member might be able to call upon for these three months?

Dealing with the state is always a headache in my experience...in Az they do make accommodations for any money that doesn't go directly to the family, I.e. child support, not sure how they do things in Alabama, but I sure am praying that you guys will be able to work it out without too much more headache. Maybe an appeal is in order?? Chin up and Don't give up! Where there's a will, there's a way!

Medicaid has gotten stricter, but AllKids might be an option. They have copays and some kids have to pay a yearly membership fee, but it's based on income. The Medicaid people should automatically apply him for AllKids if he's turned down for Medicaid. They will pay retroactively.

Also, if it was AllKids that turned him down, isn't there some program through St Vincents that may help kids without insurance? I know they aren't Children's but it's not a bad place (I was born there, but don't hold that against them Have you checked with the dioscese to see if they have any progams?

It was for AllKids. I called them yesterday and was told that because I voluntarily dropped him from my insurance there would be a three month waiting period. And if I hadn't dropped him, he would've been ineligible because he was on my insurance! What if he gets hurt during those 3 months? Are we just S*** Out of Luck????

All it would take is one call to HR to get him back on my insurance but then the waiting period would start over.

I think if he needed medical care during those three months, that they would automatically file Medicaid retroactively and they would pay until he got on AllKids. Talking to the people at the health department where they handle all that is a pain, but if you keep calling maybe you can get some answers. Ask them if they have any program at the health department for him or through Children's if he needs emergency care. I'm sure they do. If they don't know of anything at the health dept, call Children's and talk to someone in their social services dept. Thats not what it sounds, it's not like DHR, it's to help pay for stuff and set stuff up for patients who can't afford to pay.

Double check your income though and your rejection letter from AllKids. We were rejected from it once because the girl added wrong. She added an extra 0 on DH's income! It took a while to get that straightened out, but they do go ahead and treat a kid and then file retroactively and they usually pay. If not, they tend to write it off.

Who is your regular ped? I used to work in the nursery at Brookwood and also the Neonatology billing office there, and I remember there were a couple of local peds who made payment arrangements when need be. Dell Ware, if she's still in practice is good and used to do that all the time for people. Darryl Dawkins did too. Also, surprisingly Greenvale Peds used to do that. You might want to call around, or talk to your regular ped and see what they can do until you get the insurance. Lots of places have a sliding scale based on the income.

An adult will get turned away from a Dr's office almost every time with no insurance or money but nobody turns away kids. You don't even have to use Children's ER like a regular dr office like lots of adults have to do with other ER's for themselves. Trust me, he will get care, and they won't come after you with torches and pitchforks to drag you off to debtors prison afterwards. They work with folks.

Also, theres a good chance he won't get hurt or sick. Call around and find out contingency plans in case he does, but go with the attitude that he won't need medical care.

BTW, I'm still waiting on my friend to get back to me about the keeping kids. They must be out of town on vacation. I havn't forgotten that, I promise. I'll let you know as soon as I know something.

If he does get hurt or sick, hospitals are required to provide stabilizing care regardless of ability to pay.

They will bill you, but between payment plans, financial aid, and hopefully getting insurance worked out, you should be ok.

I find it interesting a female pays child support for children. That's def one I've not heard of.

I let my ex walk all over me because I felt so bad about leaving. But he really is better at parenting. I'm too mousy and spacey, really. I shouldn't have had any, but here they are. It's like most of my heart jumped out of my body and started walking around on its own.