The American Psychological Association (APA) recently released a report that said there was no reliable evidence that a single abortion affected a woman’s mental health.
I am actually stunned that the American Psychological Association would even make the following statement: "There is no credible evidence that a single elective abortion of an unwanted pregnancy in and of itself causes mental health problems for adult women, according to a draft report released Tuesday by a task force of the American Psychological Association."
Have they ever talked to a woman who has had an abortion? By reading this report I personally would say NO. What is even driving this kind of nonsense reporting? How much money and resources were spent on this WASTE of a report? I have an idea: I would like the panel that did this report to contact Stacy Massey, President of Abortion Recovery InterNational, Inc. (I haven’t even spoke with her or asked, but I am sure she would love some volunteer help) and volunteer to take calls for one day and THEN tell me that their is no credible evidence that a single elective abortion of an unwanted pregnancy in and of itself causes mental health problems for adult women. (I call BULL!)
The report is really just a literature review. Well, it isn’t really a literature review. A lot of the psychological literature was dismissed as methodologically unsound. So, the report is really based on only a limited number of studies.
If the authors of the APA report decided that a study didn’t first pass a methodological test, it was automatically dismissed as unreliable and thrown out of the sample of studies they looked at. In “science,” you see, there’s nothing to learn from experience, instinct, or insight.
The APA report is somewhat reminiscent of what happened when an Australian doctor discovered that a bacterium (called Helicobacter pylori) caused stomach ulcers. For decades, accepted medical wisdom was that peptic ulcers were caused by stress and lifestyle. Whole chunks of peoples’ stomachs were surgically removed – sometimes repeatedly – in an attempt to cure them of ulcers. Sometimes that worked. All too often, it didn’t.
Doctors Marshall and Warren of Australia discovered the true cause of peptic ulcers and won a Nobel Prize for it in 2005. Their discovery is generally considered one of the ten most significant developments in medical history. Given the suffering and the radical, invasive treatments of the time, you would think doctors jumped at the chance to embrace a new explanation for stomach ulcers. They didn’t. Dr. Marshall was even ridiculed for his claims. Besides, many doctors said, he had not performed proper experiments. Until he did that (which involved great expense that research organizations were hesitant to underwrite given the skepticism), his findings were simply to be ignored. So the suffering needlessly continued for years.
Now let’s put this APA report in the proper context. Five of the six authors were women. Although we’re dealing with women’s mental health and it is certainly proper for women to be on a task force looking at the mental health implications of abortion, is this really the most objective group? You can find all five of them easily on the web and they certainly appear to be a fine group of professionals, but so were the ridiculers of Drs. Marshall and Warren.
One of the reasons those who are anti-abortion have a hard time with “health of the mother exceptions” to proposed laws against such heinous procedures as partial birth abortions is that “mental health” would constitute such an exception. Mental health is a notoriously amorphous notion. Much depends on the beliefs of the person performing a diagnosis, so it’s likely that a mother wanting an abortion will always be able to find a doctor who will sincerely testify that the mother’s (mental) health is in danger.
It might be helpful if each of the task force members who authored the APA report would come clean on whether they think a mother’s mental health would be negatively affected by carrying an unwanted baby to full term. Why? Well, if they think carrying an unwanted baby to term is mentally unhealthy, there would naturally be a tendency to think of abortion as not so unhealthy. Abortion, in fact, might even be therapeutic in their minds.
Actually, they do sort of come clean. Here’s a quote from the study’s conclusion. “[A]mong women who have a single, legal, first-trimester abortion of an unplanned pregnancy for nontherapeutic reasons, the relative risks of mental health problems are no greater than the risks among women who deliver an unplanned pregnancy.” Since women have abortions for nontherapeutic reasons, the authors must think many have them for therapeutic reasons. So the question is relevant. Would the task force’s members sign off on an affidavit to make an exception to a partial birth abortion ban for the sake of a mother’s mental health? If they would, a first trimester abortion would seem trivial to them.
That’s the other important piece of that quote. It is only talking about first trimester abortions. Given the parameters of the studies that are acceptable to the authors of the report, it is highly unlikely that any of the acceptable studies looks at women over a long period of time. So the studies are concerned with women whose only real physical manifestation of their pregnancy has been a few missed periods. And, they’ve not had years to consider their action. If they’ve borne other children, they might even initially feel relief for the lessened responsibility.
What of the day when mothers of first-trimester babies see pictures that look like these? What if these mothers find out that their first-trimester child had fingers and toes, and a discernible nose? What of these mothers’ mental health then? It just doesn’t look like the APA particularly cares.
Hospitals are bad for financial health
What are your birthing options?
Hospital births are by far the most expensive option for giving birth. A vaginal delivery with no complications can cost upwards of $8,000 depending on what part of the country you’re in. And if you should need a cesarean delivery, you’re looking at a price tag of at least $10,000.
Hospitals are notorious for overcharging patients with no insurance. They negotiate reduced rates with insurance companies and then pass the loss off to the uninsured. Recent news reports have blown the whistle on unethical practices, to no avail. Charges are as high as ever and hospitals are in denial that overcharging exists.
If you are having a high risk pregnancy, you may decide the inflated bill is worth the risk. You should also consider how you will deliver. Don’t feel as if you must sacrifice your comfort for cost, but our society is largely a drug dependent society. Make sure you know the differences between natural child birth and medicated births. Research the effects of epidurals, Demerol and other common delivery drugs. Being proactive can also reduce costs. You can take measures to reduce the likelihood that you’ll deliver cesarean. Not only is it good for baby, it’s good for your pocketbook.
If you go this route, question your health care provider to death. Question the billing department. Know what you’re in for before you get there. Once admitted, ask for the price of every pill, every procedure, and every perk. You don’t want to realize after the fact that you’ve paid $12 for a dose of Tylenol. When you leave, ask for an itemized bill. Then scrutinize it. You may have to conduct a bunch of research and find one-handed activities to fill the time you spend on hold, but in the end, you may be able to have some inappropriate charges removed from your bill.
Hospitals can have pretty aggressive billing departments as well. Don’t assume they are right; don’t assume they won’t budge; don’t assume they won’t negotiate. Most collection departments will work with uninsured patients to set up workable payment plans. Bear in mind that inability to pay medical bills is the leading cause of bankruptcy.
Ninety percent of births take place in the hospital. Accordingly, most people assume the hospital is where they should go. However, there are some options that can help save money. More than just economic incentives, an increasing number of women find some of the other birthing options more relaxing and less clinical than a stay at the hospital.
Birthing Centers
Birthing Centers are a more affordable alternative to hospitals. Besides saving cost, many women prefer the relaxing and more natural setting these centers offer. Usually birth at one of the centers is facilitated by a midwife.
Birthing centers are usually small, intimate facilities that cater to the holistic care of the mother. The stay is usually shorter, but the centers focus on the emotional and physical well being of their patients.
Birthing centers run about half of what hospital deliveries cost, usually averaging around $4000. Some hospitals house birthing centers within their facilities. Make sure you check the cost difference. Sometimes hospitals simply offer a more home-like setting, but charge similar prices.
The premise of birthing centers is that childbirth is natural. Consequently, they don’t encourage reliance on many of the drugs and procedures that hospitals do. Nor do they induce labor, which is typical for 50 percent of hospital births. Proponents of natural childbirth say it is more fulfilling for the mother than being drugged. The baby, also undrugged, arrives more active and alert.
You can expect rooms that look like bedrooms, soft lighting and options such as water births. And if safety is a concern, don’t worry. For normal pregnancies, with no complications, birthing centers have been found to actually reduce incidents of cesarean births.
Most birthing center births are facilitated by midwives, although obstetricians offer services at birthing centers as well. Check the credentials of your midwife as there are different levels of training and certification. Another option is to use a doula. A doula is someone who supports birth. While a partner might want to coach the mother through delivery, a doula is a trained childbirth coach. The doula is also a liaison between healthcare providers, family members and the mother. Many women are including doulas in their birthing process.
In the event of an emergency delivery birthing centers will work in conjunction with local hospitals. For both center births and home births, a mother should plan ahead. Neither is conducive to last minute arrangements.
The number of centers has doubled in the United States over the last decade as this option is becoming increasingly popular.
Home Births
Delivering your baby at home used to be the only option women had. A midwife would attend the delivery and a doctor may or may not be present. Since birthing moved to hospitals over the last century, a small percentage of women continued to deliver at home because of the natural feel of bringing a baby into the world in your own setting.
The trend is shifting again, back to home births. Just like with birthing center births, the advantages to delivering at home focus on the emotional well being of the mother. She can move freely in an environment that is comfortable and familiar to her. Her family members don’t feel as if they are intruding and the mother has the complete attention of the midwife or other delivery specialist.
This too is an option for women seeking natural childbirth. Many women choosing home births rely on midwives and doulas.
The cost of home delivery can be significantly less that hospital delivery. On average home birth is 68 percent less than hospital deliver, about $2500 depending on your region of the country. Laws governing home births vary by state and coverage varies by insurance company.
Fighting for the uninsured and underinsured pregnant moms and their unborn babies,
Advocate Aaron
Hospital births are by far the most expensive option for giving birth. A vaginal delivery with no complications can cost upwards of $8,000 depending on what part of the country you’re in. And if you should need a cesarean delivery, you’re looking at a price tag of at least $10,000.
Hospitals are notorious for overcharging patients with no insurance. They negotiate reduced rates with insurance companies and then pass the loss off to the uninsured. Recent news reports have blown the whistle on unethical practices, to no avail. Charges are as high as ever and hospitals are in denial that overcharging exists.
If you are having a high risk pregnancy, you may decide the inflated bill is worth the risk. You should also consider how you will deliver. Don’t feel as if you must sacrifice your comfort for cost, but our society is largely a drug dependent society. Make sure you know the differences between natural child birth and medicated births. Research the effects of epidurals, Demerol and other common delivery drugs. Being proactive can also reduce costs. You can take measures to reduce the likelihood that you’ll deliver cesarean. Not only is it good for baby, it’s good for your pocketbook.
If you go this route, question your health care provider to death. Question the billing department. Know what you’re in for before you get there. Once admitted, ask for the price of every pill, every procedure, and every perk. You don’t want to realize after the fact that you’ve paid $12 for a dose of Tylenol. When you leave, ask for an itemized bill. Then scrutinize it. You may have to conduct a bunch of research and find one-handed activities to fill the time you spend on hold, but in the end, you may be able to have some inappropriate charges removed from your bill.
Hospitals can have pretty aggressive billing departments as well. Don’t assume they are right; don’t assume they won’t budge; don’t assume they won’t negotiate. Most collection departments will work with uninsured patients to set up workable payment plans. Bear in mind that inability to pay medical bills is the leading cause of bankruptcy.
Ninety percent of births take place in the hospital. Accordingly, most people assume the hospital is where they should go. However, there are some options that can help save money. More than just economic incentives, an increasing number of women find some of the other birthing options more relaxing and less clinical than a stay at the hospital.
Birthing Centers
Birthing Centers are a more affordable alternative to hospitals. Besides saving cost, many women prefer the relaxing and more natural setting these centers offer. Usually birth at one of the centers is facilitated by a midwife.
Birthing centers are usually small, intimate facilities that cater to the holistic care of the mother. The stay is usually shorter, but the centers focus on the emotional and physical well being of their patients.
Birthing centers run about half of what hospital deliveries cost, usually averaging around $4000. Some hospitals house birthing centers within their facilities. Make sure you check the cost difference. Sometimes hospitals simply offer a more home-like setting, but charge similar prices.
The premise of birthing centers is that childbirth is natural. Consequently, they don’t encourage reliance on many of the drugs and procedures that hospitals do. Nor do they induce labor, which is typical for 50 percent of hospital births. Proponents of natural childbirth say it is more fulfilling for the mother than being drugged. The baby, also undrugged, arrives more active and alert.
You can expect rooms that look like bedrooms, soft lighting and options such as water births. And if safety is a concern, don’t worry. For normal pregnancies, with no complications, birthing centers have been found to actually reduce incidents of cesarean births.
Most birthing center births are facilitated by midwives, although obstetricians offer services at birthing centers as well. Check the credentials of your midwife as there are different levels of training and certification. Another option is to use a doula. A doula is someone who supports birth. While a partner might want to coach the mother through delivery, a doula is a trained childbirth coach. The doula is also a liaison between healthcare providers, family members and the mother. Many women are including doulas in their birthing process.
In the event of an emergency delivery birthing centers will work in conjunction with local hospitals. For both center births and home births, a mother should plan ahead. Neither is conducive to last minute arrangements.
The number of centers has doubled in the United States over the last decade as this option is becoming increasingly popular.
Home Births
Delivering your baby at home used to be the only option women had. A midwife would attend the delivery and a doctor may or may not be present. Since birthing moved to hospitals over the last century, a small percentage of women continued to deliver at home because of the natural feel of bringing a baby into the world in your own setting.
The trend is shifting again, back to home births. Just like with birthing center births, the advantages to delivering at home focus on the emotional well being of the mother. She can move freely in an environment that is comfortable and familiar to her. Her family members don’t feel as if they are intruding and the mother has the complete attention of the midwife or other delivery specialist.
This too is an option for women seeking natural childbirth. Many women choosing home births rely on midwives and doulas.
The cost of home delivery can be significantly less that hospital delivery. On average home birth is 68 percent less than hospital deliver, about $2500 depending on your region of the country. Laws governing home births vary by state and coverage varies by insurance company.
Fighting for the uninsured and underinsured pregnant moms and their unborn babies,
Advocate Aaron
Part Time Status and NO Insurance
Kelly P thought she qualified for insurance through her work. But unfortunately, she did not because she worked less than 30 hours per week. This was company policy for her position. Many companies now restrict or limit benefits such as health and maternity insurance to part time employees.
Kelly felt alone and didn't want to go through the entire process with no assistance.
Doctors and hospitals are businesses and they are generally "for profit" businesses. They will often charge uninsured or unaffiliated individuals more than their preferred clients and the contracted insurance companies they mostly work through. It's a sad but true fact.
After working on Kelly's file we were able to find a solution that helped Kelly address all of her maternity related bills. Although the medical expenses were not free, we were successful in limiting the medical expenses and making it affordable for Kelly to receive the best medical care for her and her baby.
Quote From Kelly P. Winnemucca, NV:
"We found your info on the web after we found out we were pregnant before our maternity insurance kicked in. We were really nervous about all the high bills that were starting to come in, especially since we were having twins. When I finally decided to make the call, everyone was so helpful and supportive. It really made me feel more at ease knowing I had some help when I needed it."
Fighting for the Uninsured and Underinsured pregnant moms and their unborn babies,
Advocate Aaron
Kelly felt alone and didn't want to go through the entire process with no assistance.
Doctors and hospitals are businesses and they are generally "for profit" businesses. They will often charge uninsured or unaffiliated individuals more than their preferred clients and the contracted insurance companies they mostly work through. It's a sad but true fact.
After working on Kelly's file we were able to find a solution that helped Kelly address all of her maternity related bills. Although the medical expenses were not free, we were successful in limiting the medical expenses and making it affordable for Kelly to receive the best medical care for her and her baby.
Quote From Kelly P. Winnemucca, NV:
"We found your info on the web after we found out we were pregnant before our maternity insurance kicked in. We were really nervous about all the high bills that were starting to come in, especially since we were having twins. When I finally decided to make the call, everyone was so helpful and supportive. It really made me feel more at ease knowing I had some help when I needed it."
Fighting for the Uninsured and Underinsured pregnant moms and their unborn babies,
Advocate Aaron
Denied the Right to Choose…Life
Though the number of unwanted pregnancies has decreased over the last decade, unwanted pregnancies are on the rise among low income women according to a study conducted by the Guttmacher Institute. According to that same study, low income women are three times more likely to have an abortion due to an unwanted pregnancy. Even if they don't want one.
According to Third Way, a non-profit, non-partisan organization, "These trends reflect a population of women who are more likely to be uninsured and impoverished than the general population and thus at-risk for a myriad of other conditions associated with low socioeconomic status."
Cost may be a factor. Having a baby costs about $8000. Having an abortion costs only $400. When uninsured pregnant women are faced with the astronomical costs of having and raising a child, they may choose to terminate the pregnancy. Women should not be forced to make decisions about their pregnancy based on the medical costs, which for many families, are simply unaffordable. Yet they do.
But their decisions are based on more than just dollars. Because they are uninsured, they don't have access to transportation, childcare, or adequate medical services that would allow them luxury of formulating their own choice.
Despite the efforts of those in prolife and prochoice camps, when it comes down to the debate between life and choice, some women can't pick either.
According to Third Way, a non-profit, non-partisan organization, "These trends reflect a population of women who are more likely to be uninsured and impoverished than the general population and thus at-risk for a myriad of other conditions associated with low socioeconomic status."
Cost may be a factor. Having a baby costs about $8000. Having an abortion costs only $400. When uninsured pregnant women are faced with the astronomical costs of having and raising a child, they may choose to terminate the pregnancy. Women should not be forced to make decisions about their pregnancy based on the medical costs, which for many families, are simply unaffordable. Yet they do.
But their decisions are based on more than just dollars. Because they are uninsured, they don't have access to transportation, childcare, or adequate medical services that would allow them luxury of formulating their own choice.
Despite the efforts of those in prolife and prochoice camps, when it comes down to the debate between life and choice, some women can't pick either.
Doing Something about Prenatal Care
There is a direct correlation between prenatal care and birth outcome. Women who receive inadequate or little prenatal care are more likely to deliver low birth weight babies, babies with neurological problems, and babies who have long term health care issues through childhood and adulthood.
Women most likely to receive inadequate care are the uninsured. Some black, some Latino, some teens, some uneducated, most uninsured. Because they lack insurance, they forgo care they cannot afford and they lack adequate information about the kind of prenatal health care they should seek. Many uninsured women do not seek health care until the second trimester, which is detrimental to both their health and the baby's.
What's unfortunate is that many of the complications associated with inadequate prenatal care could be prevented. Diabetes, high blood pressure, and weight issues can be controlled during pregnancy. That is, if a woman knows.
Babies who receive inadequate prenatal care incur hospital costs 25 times what babies with no complication do. And their hospital stay is six times longer. The Center for Disease Control knows about it. The March of Dimes knows it.
Now you know it. The question is, when is anybody going to do anything about it? Our team is committed to helping uninsured and under insured pregnant moms get the prenatal care they need and deserve. Ask today how you can help. Together we can make an impact and a difference!!!
Fighting for the uninsured and under insured pregnant moms and their unborn babies,
Advocate AaronHealth Care Leaves Uninsured Defenseless
Think the war is expensive? According to the National Coalition of Health Care, "health care spending is 4.3 times the amount spent on national defense."
The rise in costs of health insurance premiums has increased by 87 percent since 2000, compared to 17 percent for consumer prices and 20 percent for earnings. Today's workers currently pay the same price for individual coverage that they paid for an entire family 20 years ago. Americans with employer supplemented coverage spend nearly 20 percent of their income on insurance. The cost prohibits some 47 million Americans from affording health coverage. A lot of them are low income. They make too much to qualify for Medicaid, but they make too little to afford insurance.
While the skyrocketing healthcare costs are unaffordable to most people, uninsured pregnant women find the cost of insurance oppressive. More and more of America's pregnant women carry their babies to term without insurance. The result: less care, less information, less prevention.
The rising cost of health care leaves these women, helpless and their babies, defenseless.
We must make a change today.
Fighting for the uninsured and underinsured pregnant mom and their unborn babies,
Advocate Aaron
The rise in costs of health insurance premiums has increased by 87 percent since 2000, compared to 17 percent for consumer prices and 20 percent for earnings. Today's workers currently pay the same price for individual coverage that they paid for an entire family 20 years ago. Americans with employer supplemented coverage spend nearly 20 percent of their income on insurance. The cost prohibits some 47 million Americans from affording health coverage. A lot of them are low income. They make too much to qualify for Medicaid, but they make too little to afford insurance.
While the skyrocketing healthcare costs are unaffordable to most people, uninsured pregnant women find the cost of insurance oppressive. More and more of America's pregnant women carry their babies to term without insurance. The result: less care, less information, less prevention.
The rising cost of health care leaves these women, helpless and their babies, defenseless.
We must make a change today.
Fighting for the uninsured and underinsured pregnant mom and their unborn babies,
Advocate Aaron
Barack Obama and I Disagree.
Well, I was going to keep my blog to uninsured and underinsured pregnant women and their unborn families but, as a business owner and someone who advocates for families this letter made we want to BURST. I am not going to discuss all the issues in his letter ONLY the ones that I put stars by that are in the attached letter from Barack Obama.
Have an AWESOME weekend,
Advocate Aaron
I recently saw a letter written by (or for) Barack Obama (it was over his signature) that made some rather ridiculous statements. (Read letter I am referencing here.) For one thing, as anyone with common sense who has listened to Obama can attest, the man has no clue that in the real world, everything – and I mean everything – has a cost. So, after a sympathetic paragraph about how hard it is “to get a break” and for parents to raise their children and make a living, he goes on to make promises that will make it harder for parents to raise their children and make a living.
He promises to double spending on after-school programs. So, those parents who have been sacrificing in various ways, taking less desirable jobs so they can actually be home with their kids or doing without two incomes, get to pay higher taxes. Obama seems to think the best thing for families is for children to be raised by somebody other than the parents. He’d have children raised, dawn to dusk, in a place where children outnumber adults at least ten to one and the adults’ faces change on at least a yearly basis. For Obama, parents seem only good enough to pay the taxes and provide a bed to sleep in.
Oh, and as long as people can’t “get a break” (whatever that means) let’s make it more expensive to hire people and make jobs more scarce. Somehow, beating up on the “big bad” employers, who are just people trying to get a break and many of whom are parents, will help people. Obama wants to mandate more sick leave and other paid leave so we can all spend more time with our kids. I guess his cosmopolitan mind wants us to be more like Europe where it costs so much to actually hire somebody that employers hire hardly anybody. While the European unemployment rate consistently doubles and nearly triples our unemployment rate, college students there protest because they really don’t have much of anything else to do.
Does this man who would be our president really think we can all eat cake? Has this man ever had to earn a living by actually producing something people want to buy? Has he ever had to make a payroll by doing anything other than smooth-talking donors?
REAL families are under assault in this country, but they are not endangered by employers competing in the market-place to sell their wares and hire the best people. Real families are endangered by people who assault parents by raising their taxes and then raising their kids when both parents have to work to pay the taxes. Real families are best served by having government stay out of their business and when government does not subsidize lethargy, sloth, promiscuity, and risky behavior by guaranteeing time off and providing warehouses for children.
Have an AWESOME weekend,
Advocate Aaron
I recently saw a letter written by (or for) Barack Obama (it was over his signature) that made some rather ridiculous statements. (Read letter I am referencing here.) For one thing, as anyone with common sense who has listened to Obama can attest, the man has no clue that in the real world, everything – and I mean everything – has a cost. So, after a sympathetic paragraph about how hard it is “to get a break” and for parents to raise their children and make a living, he goes on to make promises that will make it harder for parents to raise their children and make a living.
He promises to double spending on after-school programs. So, those parents who have been sacrificing in various ways, taking less desirable jobs so they can actually be home with their kids or doing without two incomes, get to pay higher taxes. Obama seems to think the best thing for families is for children to be raised by somebody other than the parents. He’d have children raised, dawn to dusk, in a place where children outnumber adults at least ten to one and the adults’ faces change on at least a yearly basis. For Obama, parents seem only good enough to pay the taxes and provide a bed to sleep in.
Oh, and as long as people can’t “get a break” (whatever that means) let’s make it more expensive to hire people and make jobs more scarce. Somehow, beating up on the “big bad” employers, who are just people trying to get a break and many of whom are parents, will help people. Obama wants to mandate more sick leave and other paid leave so we can all spend more time with our kids. I guess his cosmopolitan mind wants us to be more like Europe where it costs so much to actually hire somebody that employers hire hardly anybody. While the European unemployment rate consistently doubles and nearly triples our unemployment rate, college students there protest because they really don’t have much of anything else to do.
Does this man who would be our president really think we can all eat cake? Has this man ever had to earn a living by actually producing something people want to buy? Has he ever had to make a payroll by doing anything other than smooth-talking donors?
REAL families are under assault in this country, but they are not endangered by employers competing in the market-place to sell their wares and hire the best people. Real families are endangered by people who assault parents by raising their taxes and then raising their kids when both parents have to work to pay the taxes. Real families are best served by having government stay out of their business and when government does not subsidize lethargy, sloth, promiscuity, and risky behavior by guaranteeing time off and providing warehouses for children.
We NOW accept CA$H!!!!
I promised I was going to keep you posted about the OBGYN office that refused CA$H. (I am constantly surprised at how many doctor offices tell me this.) Yesterday I forwarded my blog to the office manager and something interesting happened. I got a call from the doctor, not the office manager. The doctor was irritated but cautious. I let her vent a bit and then she quizzed me about several issues. We actually seemed to have started a dialogue that was very healthy. It was obvious to me that she is very frustrated with the "system" and that she really does care about her patients and the current condition of healthcare, especially the climate for OBGYN's. I must admit however that she was "SHOCKED" to know that her staff, especially her office manager of 13 years would refuse cash; in fact she said her office manager did not recollect our conversation.(WOW… can you say CYA?) Warning to all: Do NOT EVER lie to Advocate Aaron. I immediately pulled the recording of our call converted it to a wave file and emailed it to the doctor. (Facts are a stubborn thing.) Bottom line: The mom I was assisting not only got a cash rate but the doctor took an additional $500 off for the "hassle factor" (I did NOT even ask).
This doctor is now accepting CA$H patients and has agreed to give them favorable terms so they can get the prenatal care and attention they need and deserve. (She even asked me how she could support our mission). Here's the point: Doctors typically got into medicine to HELP, but, because of fear of lawsuits, insurance, liability, and all the regulation and hoops they have to jump through, they become hardened and cynical. (And I do NOT blame them).
It is time to STOP the insanity and get back to the REAL issue: Helping moms get the care they need and deserve for the wellbeing of them and their unborn baby, PERIOD!
This doctor is now accepting CA$H patients and has agreed to give them favorable terms so they can get the prenatal care and attention they need and deserve. (She even asked me how she could support our mission). Here's the point: Doctors typically got into medicine to HELP, but, because of fear of lawsuits, insurance, liability, and all the regulation and hoops they have to jump through, they become hardened and cynical. (And I do NOT blame them).
It is time to STOP the insanity and get back to the REAL issue: Helping moms get the care they need and deserve for the wellbeing of them and their unborn baby, PERIOD!
Moral of the story: If we continue to hold the "system" accountable and provide REAL transparency we can make a difference and have a REAL IMPACT.
Fighting for the uninsured and underinsured pregnant mom and their unborn baby,
Advocate Aaron
PS: Below is a testimonial from one of our moms...
When Denise contacted us she was frustrated after discovering that her very expensive individual health insurance did not include a basic maternity rider that paid for her maternity medical expenses. If you have maternity insurance, that is always the best option. But increasingly, agents don't offer it and individuals may elect not to pay for expensive maternity insurance as part of their plan. Even though Denise was already pregnant, we developed a Game Plan that helped her make her doctor, hospital, lab and sonogram bills affordable.
"When we found out I was pregnant and our health insurance did not cover maternity, we were surprised. We didn't think we had any options but I'm very happy that I found you. Thanks for making the whole process easier. Much easier. " - Denise F., NV
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"We don't accept CA$H"?
I know I said I was going to blog daily and I am committed to that. I missed yesterday as I was working on a very confusing situation. Here’s the story. (I wish I was making it up)
A special THANK YOU to all the thousands ofOB offices who step up everyday and help to make pregnancy for “Moms in the Middle” an affordable REALITY.
A WORKING INSURED pregnant mom calls me and is in a panic and needs help. After hearing what she had to say I verified the information, asked her for a copy of her policy, did some research and sure enough she was right: Her family is paying OVER $700 per month for medical insurance and it excludes maternity (VERY TYPICAL). What was NOT typical was the way the OBGYN office was treating her. I have elected to NOT call the office or office manager out by name YET. I am giving them until Thursday at 3pm CST to do the right thing or I will post their name and number and let YOU let them know how you feel about the situation.
So here’s the RUB. I was able to secure 50% of the
The US Department of Health and Human Services quotes on their website http://mchb.hrsa.gov/programs/womeninfants/prenatal.htm
• Babies born to mothers who received no prenatal care are three times more likely to be born at low birth weight, and five times more likely to die, than those whose mothers received prenatal care.(I repeat this mom has CA$H)
A special THANK YOU to all the thousands of
“Getting” Prenatal Care
Babies born to mothers who received no prenatal care are three times more likely to be born at low birth weight, and five times more likely to die, than babies whose mothers received prenatal care. Then there are other problems such as spina bifida, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes. According the March of Dimes, the organization dedicated to preventing birth defects, all women need prenatal care.
The problem: not everybody gets it. Every year nearly one million American women deliver babies without receiving adequate prenatal care. That means they forgo monthly or weekly checkups. They lack advice about nutrition and exercise. They skip blood work and ultrasounds. They miss out on tips for taking care of their newborns. When they go without prenatal care, so does the child.
Many of the women don’t receive the care they need simply because they are uninsured. According to the CDC’s “Prenatal Care” report, most uninsured women are in the low-income bracket. Ironically the effects of prenatal care are the strongest among socially disadvantaged women.
It seems simple. Find the group that needs support the most, figure out how to give it to them. Watch the statistics change. The problem: not everybody gets it.
Resources: http://mchb.hrsa.gov/programs/womeninfants/prenatal.htm
The problem: not everybody gets it. Every year nearly one million American women deliver babies without receiving adequate prenatal care. That means they forgo monthly or weekly checkups. They lack advice about nutrition and exercise. They skip blood work and ultrasounds. They miss out on tips for taking care of their newborns. When they go without prenatal care, so does the child.
Many of the women don’t receive the care they need simply because they are uninsured. According to the CDC’s “Prenatal Care” report, most uninsured women are in the low-income bracket. Ironically the effects of prenatal care are the strongest among socially disadvantaged women.
It seems simple. Find the group that needs support the most, figure out how to give it to them. Watch the statistics change. The problem: not everybody gets it.
Resources: http://mchb.hrsa.gov/programs/womeninfants/prenatal.htm
Damned if she works, damned if she doesn’t...
This REALLY just makes me ANGRY. Earlier today I received a call from a mom who was in tears and frustrated because she found out that her health insurance excluded maternity and because she is a working, tax paying contributing member of society she was denied Medicaid. Ok, so here’s my rub and believe me when I tell you I have heard this story hundred’s (No Exaggeration) of times. She was told by her Medicaid Caseworker that if she quit her job she would be able to get Medicaid to pay for her baby. ARGGGGG!!! This is a solution??? Quit contributing and the government will pay. I have a better idea, how about you keep your job and we make pregnancy affordable for moms and quit taking advantage of women who are in this situation. This is UNFAIR and INSANE!!!
So what's the deal? Why is this happening? And what do brain tumors, heart conditions and pregnancies have in common? According to insurance companies, they’re all preexisting conditions. That catch-22 leaves many pregnant women uninsured.
Though federal law (HIPPA) prohibits insurance companies from considering pregnancy a preexisting condition, there’s a caveat. A woman can be excluded from a policy if she was uninsured prior to applying for coverage. So a pregnant woman can switch insurance companies if she changes jobs. But if she’s been uninsured, she’ll stay uninsured.
Even on the off chance a woman can find an insurance company to take her, the coverage can be downright unaffordable. Deductibles for individual insurance policies can be ten times what they are for group policies. Since the average uninsured woman occupies the low-income bracket, that option quickly becomes unreasonable. She could be spending as much as a third of her income on insurance, an insurmountable price tag for someone already struggling to make ends meet.
So why doesn’t she simply apply for Medicaid?
Medicaid eligibility varies by state. In West Virginia, she can make $12 thousand a year; in New York, she can make just over $20 thousand. Before taxes. If she makes anything more than minimum wage, she’s no longer eligible. Since nearly 60% of low-income women work, many of them are never eligible for government care.
No coverage often equates to no prenatal care. But it’s no wonder so many women do without appropriate health care. When it comes to choices, most uninsured pregnant women don’t have any.
Resources:
Women’s Health Insurance Coverage Fact Sheet, December 2007
http://www.kff.org/womenshealth/1613.cfm
West Virginia Medicaid Eligibiligy
http://www.wvdhhr.org/bcf/family_assistance/medicaid.asp
New York Medicaid Eligibility
http://www.health.state.ny.us/health_care/medicaid/#income
Cost of Individual Insurance
http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/publications_show.htm?doc_id=221493
So what's the deal? Why is this happening? And what do brain tumors, heart conditions and pregnancies have in common? According to insurance companies, they’re all preexisting conditions. That catch-22 leaves many pregnant women uninsured.
Though federal law (HIPPA) prohibits insurance companies from considering pregnancy a preexisting condition, there’s a caveat. A woman can be excluded from a policy if she was uninsured prior to applying for coverage. So a pregnant woman can switch insurance companies if she changes jobs. But if she’s been uninsured, she’ll stay uninsured.
Even on the off chance a woman can find an insurance company to take her, the coverage can be downright unaffordable. Deductibles for individual insurance policies can be ten times what they are for group policies. Since the average uninsured woman occupies the low-income bracket, that option quickly becomes unreasonable. She could be spending as much as a third of her income on insurance, an insurmountable price tag for someone already struggling to make ends meet.
So why doesn’t she simply apply for Medicaid?
Medicaid eligibility varies by state. In West Virginia, she can make $12 thousand a year; in New York, she can make just over $20 thousand. Before taxes. If she makes anything more than minimum wage, she’s no longer eligible. Since nearly 60% of low-income women work, many of them are never eligible for government care.
No coverage often equates to no prenatal care. But it’s no wonder so many women do without appropriate health care. When it comes to choices, most uninsured pregnant women don’t have any.
Resources:
Women’s Health Insurance Coverage Fact Sheet, December 2007
http://www.kff.org/womenshealth/1613.cfm
West Virginia Medicaid Eligibiligy
http://www.wvdhhr.org/bcf/family_assistance/medicaid.asp
New York Medicaid Eligibility
http://www.health.state.ny.us/health_care/medicaid/#income
Cost of Individual Insurance
http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/publications_show.htm?doc_id=221493
They Grow Up FAST
Today is a definite first for me. I now have a teenager!!!! HOLY COW!!! That’s right: My son turned 13 today. I am amazed at how fast life happens. For all of you that are about to be first time parents it is true what everyone says: "WOW, they grow up fast." For those of you that are already parents take a moment to tell your kids you love them because before you know it they will be all grown up. Happy 13th Birthday Alex!!!
Love you,
Dad
PS: Alex, you should know better than to let me take your picture! I LOVE the internet.
Making Ends Meet
Being pregnant and uninsured is often just the beginning of a woman’s potentially long battle with the health care system. Many hospitals charge the uninsured up to five times the amount they charge a patient with insurance. Hospitals are willing to negotiate lower prices with insurance providers, but not with individuals. Medicaid sets price limits for the amount it will pay for procedures, but nobody sets limits for the amount the uninsured pay.
Costs for a regular, vaginal delivery range from $5000-$8000. Double or triple that amount and a woman who can’t afford insurance in the first place can quickly find herself unable to keep up with her bills. Several groups—from the American Hospital Association to the CBS Evening News—have chronicled the effects of hospital price gouging.
Doing the right thing isn’t a futuristic, utopian impossibility, however. Hospitals in Minnesota have agreed to charge their uninsured patients a rate which is in line with what insurance companies pay for the same services. They are also revising the way in which they collect debt. Kudos to Minnesota, but with the nation’s lowest percentage of uninsured (9.7%), they may be able to move more quickly than states that meet or exceed the national average (18.9%).
In the American Hospital Association’s “Hospital Charges Explained” they state that patients with Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance comprise 90 percent of a hospital’s charges. They say that because of the reduced pricing these agencies negotiate, most of their patients underpay for medical services. That leaves the uninsured to foot the difference. They say hospitals, after all, have to make ends meet.
Costs for a regular, vaginal delivery range from $5000-$8000. Double or triple that amount and a woman who can’t afford insurance in the first place can quickly find herself unable to keep up with her bills. Several groups—from the American Hospital Association to the CBS Evening News—have chronicled the effects of hospital price gouging.
Doing the right thing isn’t a futuristic, utopian impossibility, however. Hospitals in Minnesota have agreed to charge their uninsured patients a rate which is in line with what insurance companies pay for the same services. They are also revising the way in which they collect debt. Kudos to Minnesota, but with the nation’s lowest percentage of uninsured (9.7%), they may be able to move more quickly than states that meet or exceed the national average (18.9%).
In the American Hospital Association’s “Hospital Charges Explained” they state that patients with Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance comprise 90 percent of a hospital’s charges. They say that because of the reduced pricing these agencies negotiate, most of their patients underpay for medical services. That leaves the uninsured to foot the difference. They say hospitals, after all, have to make ends meet.
First Official Post
Ok, here it is. For the last two years, I have been asked to start blogging and let the World know what is going on in the Uninsured world and specifically provide real answers and solutions for the UNINSURED or UNDERinsured Pregnant Mom.
As you know, I have been advocating for Uninsured and UNDERinsured pregnant moms since 2004. It came about because my company was actually devoted to helping the uninsurable and had been since 2001. After 3 years of advocating, assisting, and fighting the “System” I realized that the biggest impact and largest need was with pregnant moms and here I am proudly advocating and fighting for moms. (It is sad that it is even necessary.) I have actually had over 500,000 (Not a typo) moms contact us looking for help. This has gone from just a business to a MISSION that I am PASSIONATE about and I will fight until REAL change with REAL transparency is made.
This blog and my website www.AdvocateAaron.com are resources that I am making available 100% for FREE. This message must get out, get heard, and then action must be taken to SOLVE the UNFAIR system. I will also be asking YOU to step up and help. Help can come in many ways.
You asked for it and now I am going to do it and I will NOT be shy about asking you to help. This is NOT just important it is CRITICAL and I will share with you why it is actually DEADLY to NOT take action and FIX. (OK, off my soap box…for now.)
I will post a daily blog. It will be short, accurate, meaningful, and based on REAL Uninsured or UNDERinsured pregnant moms.... not just some “Theory.”
FIGHTING for MOM,
AdvocateAaron
As you know, I have been advocating for Uninsured and UNDERinsured pregnant moms since 2004. It came about because my company was actually devoted to helping the uninsurable and had been since 2001. After 3 years of advocating, assisting, and fighting the “System” I realized that the biggest impact and largest need was with pregnant moms and here I am proudly advocating and fighting for moms. (It is sad that it is even necessary.) I have actually had over 500,000 (Not a typo) moms contact us looking for help. This has gone from just a business to a MISSION that I am PASSIONATE about and I will fight until REAL change with REAL transparency is made.
This blog and my website www.AdvocateAaron.com are resources that I am making available 100% for FREE. This message must get out, get heard, and then action must be taken to SOLVE the UNFAIR system. I will also be asking YOU to step up and help. Help can come in many ways.
You asked for it and now I am going to do it and I will NOT be shy about asking you to help. This is NOT just important it is CRITICAL and I will share with you why it is actually DEADLY to NOT take action and FIX. (OK, off my soap box…for now.)
I will post a daily blog. It will be short, accurate, meaningful, and based on REAL Uninsured or UNDERinsured pregnant moms.... not just some “Theory.”
FIGHTING for MOM,
AdvocateAaron
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