Eleven Week Update

Eleven weeks along and nothing really looks different yet!

Weight:147 (-1 pound)

I've been dealing with an insurance issue that probably has me a little stressed out and could explain the weight loss. I'll explain the story below the picture...

Roger started a new job with Continental back in September. For some reason, his company does not provide medical insurance for the first six months of employment. Therefore, I researched some short term insurance options for the two of us to get us by. Through a company called ExtendHealth, I found a great BCBS policy and was even able to add a maternity rider. During the entire time, I was very clear with the sales representative that this was a short term policy (with Continental insurance taking effect March 1) and that I was not pregnant at the time I was calling, but would like to try to get pregnant and would therefore need maternity coverage. I asked the sales representative to double check to make sure that the maternity rider didn't have an exclusionary period and that I would receive maternity benefits on day one if I needed them. He assured me that there was no waiting or exclusionary period (it's very common that there is one, that's why I had him double check). I pay $110 a month additional for the maternity rider.

So, fast forward to today. I have a second ultrasound (at 12 weeks) scheduled for January 22nd. Because an ultrasound at 12 weeks is not common, it can be questioned by insurance companies. I called BCBS directly to give them codes to check to see if it's covered. Apparently, I do not have ANY maternity benefits for the first 12 months of my policy. Yes, that's right. I've already been in for bloodwork once at 5 weeks and had an ultrasound done at 8 weeks, all without insurance. Also, I have yet to received a bill from either one of these appointments or it would have been completely obvious that none of my services were being covered.

I am livid with the ExtendHealth representative. I called them to try and track him down and apparently he was only with the company for three weeks!!! I had another representative help me and the first line of the maternity rider states that maternity benefits will not be paid for the first 12 months of the policy. Now why the original moron representative couldn't read that is beyond me!

I'm kind of devastated at this point because I've been put in this horrible position of trying to have to budget for necessary care for our child. I have to count my blessings that at least I will have permanent insurance that doesn't exclude maternity coverage for any length of time - I called the three big companies that Continental offers insurance through (Aetna, Cigna, and BCBS) and they will cover me from day one even though I'm pregnant now - come March 1, at which point I'll be about 18 weeks. I just hate that I am in this situation because I did so much to try and make sure that this didn't happen. I can't tell you how many hours (literally) I spent calling insurance companies to make sure this wouldn't be an issue if we wanted to get pregnant.

So the battle continues today. I'm in the process of trying to receive a refund for the three months of maternity coverage that I paid for to help offset the cost of the doctor's appointments and ultrasounds that I will paying for out of pocket. Basically, I will have 4 appointments to pay four out of pocket (the two that I already had, one at 12 weeks, and one at 16 weeks) before our new permanent policy kicks in. It's not the end of the world, but what really gets me so riled (is that a word?!) up is that some random moron from Salt Lake City (where ExtendHealth is located) is making this so difficult! What did I ever do to him?! All the planning and researching in the world doesn't make up for the ignorance of some people!

Vent over! If you made it this far, I really am thankful and grateful to even be pregnant in the first place and this is just a little bump in the road. We'll get through it, the baby will get through it, and as long as it's only a matter of money, all is good in the end!