Pregnant and moving to US - can't get insurance - advice needed

[Rubeywednesday]

Hello,

My DH is self-employed and has been offered a years work in California, starting in November. We are both keen to go but I will be 6 months pregnant (with our first child) by then. As he is self-employed we need to sort out our own insurance (his visa sponsor has made this clear also) but I have been led to believe that pregnancy counts as a "pre-existing condition" and insurance will not cover me for my pregnancy and labour.

We have discussed this and the high costs involved (I've been quoted up to $20,000 for a straight-forward labour!) and as I am currently healthy and enjoying a normal pregnancy we are thinking of going for it over there.

I would like advice from anyone who's been in a similar situation, and/or advice about choosing a gyno/obstetrician in the LA area. Will all obstetrician's take cash paying clients or are do they only work for insurance companies? should i be looking at insurance for health issues unrelated to my pregnancy at the same time? are we completely mad to contemplate this?!

any advice gratefully received!

I have to agree.just stay and have the baby in the uk at this stage.unless the stress and cost is justified by the fact your baby would be an American citizen. No insurance with a job.....mmmmm add at least 10k a year to yourboutgoings,and negotiate a higher salary.the health system breaks people here. Even with insurance you can be paying 20 per cent of a final bill.

My c section with DD cost $35K in NJ, so hope for a straightforward birth!

We were covered on expat health insurance with global coverage - from what my dh could see from work, this cost substantially less than a typical US health ins. We did usually have to pay up front (at a discount as mentioned earlier approx 30% I'd say), then claim back from overseas insurance.

Good luck!

Also be careful about dates when buying your transatlantic tickets, some airlines won't let you fly overseas past 6 months.