Being a self-employed type means going without a few things. Things like incompetent bosses and free coffee. And insurance. Luckily New York offers assistance to those of us unwilling (or unable) to work for The Man in the form of various COBRA-esque programs. Of course it costs a fuckload, but after a few eye-opening visits to my local free* clinic, that $500 a month (soon to be $800!) started to seem like money well spent.
Especially after getting this thing in the mail.
Yes, that's $3,020.00. This is the bill from one blood work session. I get poked roughly twice a month, between gyno visits (to check my thyroid and peek in on Possum) the the hospital (required genetic testing, now that I'm 35 and of "advanced maternal age"). I know that people have babies without insurance but honest to Pete, I don't see how. If I had to pay this every time I had to see the doc, my pre-natal care would go right out the window.
*A total misnomer! Not at all free!
1 comment:
Damn. Having insurance is certainly helpful. We lost ours when we moved back to T-town when I was hugely pregnant with #1. It was under my husband and the company he worked for was small enought that they did not have to offer COBRA benefits. I ended up getting Medicaid once we were here, which was an interesting experience. Glad I did though. Hubby had insurance by the time #1 was born, so we were covered by both which was a good thing since we had that 8-day NICU stay. Just the bed was $1000 per day. Add in an ambulance ride for #1, ($400 to go across the street to the other hospital. I kid you not.) Medical care cost and insurance is something I can complain about for hours.
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