If you're pregnant, use your employers Insurance and change jobs, will your new Insurance cover the pregnancy?

Question

My Friend is faced with this situation. He is considering chaging jobs but his wife is pregnant. Will there be a loss of coverage if he changes jobs or will the health benefits of the new employer cover the pregnancy?

Answer 1

(This answer assumes your friend works in the U.S.)

Per the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), pregnancy cannot be considered a pre-existing condition under a group health plan:

http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq_consumer_hipaa.html

If there's a waiting period before the coverage through the new employer kicks in, your friend should arrange to continue his coverage through the previous employer's plan via COBRA or state continuation laws (if any), if COBRA doesn't apply.

I hope this helps.

Answer 2

It depends on the state/ country you live in and the insurance. Most insurances can not include pregnancy as a pre existing condition but do expect you to work 60-90 days until insurance benefits kick in. There is also medicaid (title 19) in United States if mother and baby have no insurance and qualify by income. It can be retro paid up to three months, so if insurance wont cover it, maybe check into this with local HACAP office as a back up plan?
there is also COBRA but it can be about $600-900 a month! Also some nsurances want you to pay a deductible up front before they pay any and since it the new year the deductible has to start over anyway so switching jobs right now would be the best time of year to do it!

Answer 3

Before he quits the current job he should check with the insurance company. If she has complication their is going to be a problem. He has the right to continue the coverage through COBRA. He will have to pay the monthly premiums to keep the current insurance and doctors.

The new job what type of insurance do they offer? Is it one type only or can you pick your doctor? Some companies only offer a group plan like Kaiser, take it or find your insurance and you pay 100% of the premiums. The premium for a family could be $300 and up per month depending on the insurance company.

Answer 4

The good news: Health insurance companies cannot consider pregnancy a preexisting condition
The bad news: Many companies have a waiting period before health insurance for new employees kicks in. She would not be covered during this period under they did COBRA and paid for the insurance themselves.
Also keep in mind that the new insurance may have a different list of providers and her current doctor may not be covered. Depending on how far along she is, it can be difficult to find a doctor to take her on as a new patient mid-pregnancy

Answer 5

Congratulations! you does no longer be eligible for any sort of maternity insurance now which you're already pregnant. You and the new child's father will ought to make your recommendations up a thank you to pay the scientific expenses linked with the being pregnant. some OBs will enable you to prepay for the scientific amenities and might charge a "flat fee" whether issues upward push up. bear in mind, the new child purely isn't coated under your fathers coverage. with any luck, the toddler daddy has coverage the new child could properly be coated under. otherwise, you will ought to plot for those costs. i'm puzzled - this sounds relatively like a planned being pregnant. Why did no longer you handle the money themes till now making plans the being pregnant?

Answer 6

Most companies have waiting periods before you are eligible for insurance benefits- at my job it was 6 months. Once you leave a company they can end your insurance immediately, and offer you COBRA (which is WAY expensive). I would tell your friend to hold out until after the baby is born unless she is under 4 months right now. There are so many appointments and tests she has to go through, that to pay out of pocket will be too much.

Also- the new company may not want to cover it because she was pg before he would have signed up for coverage. Some companies are picky like that.

Answer 7

Usually with changing jobs, you can get into health insurance without restrictions on preexisting conditions.

If your new employer doesn't allow you to join right away, then you can be covered by COBRA, a health care insurance required by the government (assuming your in the US). COBRA isn't cheap, so if you can avoid it, do.

Answer 8

As long as there is no lapse in coverage - meaning, the current insurance cancels the day before the new one takes effect, everything should be okay.

Answer 9

old job ---no why would they if he leaves unless he pays monthly fees

new job - - it's pre=existing condition