2013 Healthcare Changes: What this Means for You

A long awaited, restful Friday evening was brought to an abrupt halt when my husband showed me an email from his employer.  Due to the healthcare reform, his employer is trying to find ways to make the additional costs more absorbable.  And what we read made our spirits drop.

But first, I want to say that we completely support our employer.  I believe the are doing what they can to afford these new costs.  I am just expressing the difficulty this healthcare plan will cause our family and many others, and that it would be wise to do your research so you can prepare for the upcoming future, especially if you are a mom on a budget.

Now, back to our Friday night wake up call.  Rather than celebrating Friday, we were dwelling upon the fact that we are already struggling to make it when emergencies hit, but thinking about tax hikes or additional out-of-pocket medical expenses are more than we can handle (especially wanting another child sometime soon).  The email from my husband's employer outlined the new insurance policy starting January 2013, just a few months away.  It shows that our out-of-pocket expenses will double due to healthcare reform.  There are other changes as well that make it appear as if the "almost doubled" deductible and "doubled" out-of-pocket expenses will be met much quicker, since the plan will not cover as much as before. (Note:  This is how our insurance benefits change, not necessarily yours.)

If you are pregnant, hoping to have a child or thinking this reform is free, you are in for a surprise.  I would encourage you to check with your or your spouses employer to see what changes they intend to make to your insurance plan come 2013.  Another item to check is if your baby's shots are covered or if they fall under your out-of-pocket expenses.  I'm not clear on how this affects us, but I know some of our daughter's well child check-ups with shots can quickly run a few hundred dollars.  This is a scary thought, especially if you will have a newborn getting frequent immunizations.  Again, I do not know how your insurance plan will change, which is why it is important for you to ask how the healthcare bill will affect you.