Blue Cross Tells Pregnant Mom "No Way"

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 08 Sep 2008 - 16:00 PDT

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"What's it like to have to decide whether to abort your baby because no one will give you medical coverage during your pregnancy? That's something I discovered in the summer of 2006 when-during a three-month lull in personal health insurance coverage-I found out I was pregnant," said Susanne McDowell of Missoula, Mont.

"I applied for insurance via Blue Cross Blue Shield and was denied because of a pre-existing condition-my pregnancy. I had to decide whether to continue with the pregnancy or abort. I found a birth center that would allow me to pay a total of $5,000 as long as I gave birth naturally and without any pain medicine at the center. My husband and I had just sold a house, and we knew we could use one-third of the profit to pay the fee.

"Unfortunately, despite all my healthy efforts and despite my desire to have an all-natural, medicine-free birth, my baby did not descend properly during labor. My husband drove me from the birth center to the hospital (the birth center charged me a $500 out-of-pocket transfer fee). At the hospital, I received an epidural. After two and a half days of labor, the doctor ordered a C-section. I then spent three nights in the hospital. My medical bills totaled about $20,000," and Susanne and her husband are still paying off the bills. They are not sure if they'll be able to afford any more children in the future.

Read stories like this every day through Election Day at: http://www.GuaranteedHealthcare.org

Eighty-two percent of Americans think the U.S. healthcare system should be fundamentally changed or completely rebuilt (Commonwealth Fund, Aug. 7, 2008). America's nurses know that only single-payer, improved and expanded Medicare for all will fix our broken system and the tragedy of our devastated families. HR 676, by U.S. Rep John Conyers, is the most comprehensive, cost effective way to achieve guaranteed healthcare for all.

http://www.GuaranteedHealthcare.org