I have no Insurance!

[brownskinchinee]

I'm almost 4 months preg (went to the hospital and took a preg test, they gave me my due date) and I have yet to figure out how to get prenatal care. I tried to apply for the Pregnancy Medicaid but I don't qualify cuz I haven't been a perm resident for 5 yrs yet (did not know that was a rule) and the hospitals all charge thousands so have a baby to I'm not sure what to do. Where can I go to see a doc and get an u/s? And what are my options as far as where I can have this baby? Anyone have any suggestions? I live in GA

[Suka]

Have you tried https://www.peachcare.org/Index.aspx

[brownskinchinee]

peachcare is for children, not pregnant women

[laughingfox]

Have you considered a midwife/homebirth? Many midwives work on sliding fee scales, and will work out payment arrangements with you. They generally offer a free consultation visit, and you can discuss payment at that time.

Do you have a Pregnancy Resource Center nearby, or BirthRight or anything like that? They're more political than anything else, but they can help you find a doctor or clinic that'll work with people without insurance, and sometimes they even have in-office ultrasound (but not for diagnostic purposes).
If you decide on a hospital birth, call your local hospitals and ask if they have programs for uninsured moms-to-be. I know a few people who have actually gotten a kind of insurance through the hospital itself, and some hospitals also have donation money set aside to help cover the bills for uninsured moms.

When you go into labor, hospitals cannot legally refuse to admit you for inability to pay or for lack of insurance. You might wind up with a huge bill in the end, but you do still have a right to go into any hospital and get medical care when you're in labor.

Hope that helps, and congrats!

[momofboysajs]

I'm not sure how near you are to Douglasville, but when I lived in GA I found help here:
Pregnancy Resource Center
3030 Chapel Hill Road, Douglasville, GA
[phone]‎
pregnancycenter.info

[ExuberantDaffodil]

Originally Posted by brownskinchinee

I tried to apply for the Pregnancy Medicaid but I don't qualify cuz I haven't been a perm resident for 5 yrs yet (did not know that was a rule)

where did you get this information? I know women who are not permanent residents at all, let alone for 5 years and have still received medicaid for pregnancy. You might want to try for a second opinion on that.

If you truly do not qualify for medicaid, I'd second looking into the hb midwife option.

[Petali]

And these weren't things you thought of or looked into before getting knocked up?

yeah, you're going to be a GREAT mother

[Gimme Pineapple]

From what I found, you don't have to be a resident- just living in Georgia for "longer than a visit." I would definitely apply and try. Good luck- that sounds very stressful.

http://www.mcguffey.net/gamedicaid/2225.pdf

[blessedwithboys]

how about doing your own prenatal care and birthing without a professional assistant?

[MeepyCat]

Originally Posted by blessedwithboys

how about doing your own prenatal care and birthing without a professional assistant?

I'm all for birth choice, but this is a pretty unhelpful comment. It's one thing to come to unassisted pregnancy and childbirth for personal reasons, with a reasonable assurance that the pregnancy is uncomplicated. It's another thing entirely to not be able to afford to seek care. The OP at the very least needs to be able to get help in the event of a complication or emergency, and (IMNSHO) deserves - as all women do - to be assured of a reasonable standard of care for herself and her baby.

[Noel_P]

Have you contacted any local OBs or Midwives, hospitals and/or birthing centers? Call and ask about cash pricing - honestly for a normal pregnancy you can pay less than you would to buy personal health insurance... They will really go down in price for cash payments, and will usually put you on a payment plan. Good luck!