Pregnancy, preexisting, discrimination, insurance?
I don’t understand why and if the federal laws prohibit pregnancy as a preexisting condition but insurance companies can anyway.My boyfriend and I live together have a child and one on the way and I can’t get covered on his insurance not because of Aetna but because of UPS.So if we get married really fast and although I am already pregnant will it be considered preexisting or will there be a wait period?Yet UPS allows same sex couples to get on each others!Doesn’t make sense does it?Can we file as a domestic partnership and get the benefits that way?Plus I can’t get group insurance to cover me,or individual and assistant programs only pay a small amount.I am confused so if you have definite answers and can help I would appreciate your opinion.Can I file a report to the news,Senator,or UPS?
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3 Responses to Pregnancy, preexisting, discrimination, insurance?
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It’s not just UPS. Motorola does the same exact thing. They allow unmarried gays and lesbians to be on each other’s insurance policy, but not unmarried hexterosexuals. I just don’t get it. It’s total bullshit. It needs to be changed.
Federal law prohibits pregnancy as a preexisting condition on GROUP health insurance policies, because EVERYONE in the group has to carry the coverage. The elderly people do, the post menopausal women do, the men do. There’s SHARING OF COST. There are LOTS of other people paying for maternity benefits, that flat out will NEVER use them – like the men!
But federal law does NOT prohibit individual policies from considering pregnancy preexisting. So, clearly, it IS a preexisting condition, and coverage will not apply.
If you get married, you can be added on to his insurance policy, with his employer, and then it’s covered and not excluded as a preexisting condition.
Same sex couples rarely have surprise pregnancies. Funny how that works . . .
Domestic partnerships are ONLY for same sex couples. A domestic partnership between the opposite sex, is called "marriage".
Federal law only requires pregnancy not be considered a pre-ex. condition if you are going from group plan to group plan. If you are going from individual coverage or no insurance to a group plan, your pregnancy will, more than likely, be considered pre-ex. The reason for this is because they don’t want pregnant women trapped in a job that may not be of the best conditions for pregnant women. But they’re also trying to protect the employer from having women get jobs just for the insurance – hence the group plan to group plan…
And if company policy does not allow for live-in couples to be on insurance plans, that’s policy. There’s no one to write a letter to as insurance is completely voluntary on your employers part. Many workers are not given insurance through employers at all – let alone for partners.
That being said – most states have insurance plans for pregnant women. You need to meet certain income guidelines, but, as a technically single person with one dependent, you more than likely will meet this requirements. Call your local health dept. they should know who to get you in contact with.