The Yearly Checkup: Seeing the OB/GYN when You Have No Health Insurance

My husband and I had just moved into our new apartment at the beginning of 2011. We started talking about stability and raising a family-and then he lost his job, leaving us uninsured. Months later, we are still without insurance and it is time for my yearly OB/GYN checkup.

Since we are still without health insurance and my husband has yet to find employment, we have decided to wait on starting a family. That makes a visit to the OB/GYN doubly important-we can't afford to have a baby as much as we'd love to have a child, so I need to stay on the birth control pill.

As a full-time freelance writer, I considered purchasing out-of-pocket, emergency-only insurance. Unfortunately, it would cost nearly as much as our monthly rent-just to insure one of us. There are more affordable plans available in nearby Pennsylvania, but at this time, laws do not allow us to cross state lines for health insurance.

Options for Uninsured Women

Uninsured female friends assured me that lack of health insurance is no excuse to avoid the yearly checkup. Clinics and organizations like Planned Parenthood accept uninsured patients.

I called my local Planned Parenthood and explained my situation. They were able to schedule me in about three weeks after my call. They confirmed that I had enough medication to last this amount of time.

Sliding Scale

Planned Parenthood charges fees based on income. Since I just did our taxes, I have a very good idea of my income level and I know the amount of my husband's unemployment checks.

Planned Parenthood and most other medical clinics expect payment at your appointment. Prior to going to the appointment, Planned Parenthood was unable to determine the cost of my appointment. If you are in this situation, it is advisable to be prepared to pay $50-$75; additional tests may cost more.

Appointment and Contraceptive Pick-Up Times

As a freelance writer with no children and an unemployed spouse, I am relatively open when it comes to making appointments. This explains how I was able to get an appointment at Planned Parenthood so quickly.

Several female friends have warned me that appointments must be scheduled months in advance. If you are on any form of birth control that expires or runs out, it's advisable to make your appointment three months or more before this happens.

Friends have also warned me that appointment hours and pick-up times for contraceptives can be challenging for those that work during the day. One of my friends routinely leaves work early and rushes to the center to get her pills during the appropriate hours.

Service

Service at Planned Parenthood varies by location. Each center is different and holds its own hours. However, centers can run out of medication and put holds on things, so it's best to get your birth control pills long before you run out.

Exam

The exam at Planned Parenthood seems more thorough than it does in private offices in terms of questions asked and counseling offered. The staff seemed more likely to discuss more birth control options.

At private offices, I got the impression that I wasn't considered very important because I am monogamous, relatively young, STD-free, not pregnant and not in a high-risk category.

Cost of Pregnancy and Childbirth

Planned Parenthood offers affordable services for pregnant women. Because we want children, I looked into the cost of having a child without insurance. When a baby is born, parents can apply for state-run insurance services in most states. When a woman is pregnant, she can receive affordable care at a clinic.

Delivery, however, is another matter. Some states do offer health care coverage for pregnant women that includes delivery. Most do not.

Including hospital stay and the mother's post-birth checkup, childbirth can cost anywhere from $3,500 to $30,000. Since I have a heart murmur, there is a possibility that my pregnancy will be high-risk and while I am pregnant I am going to have to see a cardiologist. Furthermore, twins run in my family, and those are just a few of many potential reasons that a pregnancy could result in a C-section birth for me.

My husband and I have decided to save our money for a down payment on a condo rather than risk losing it due to lack of insurance, so unfortunately we must wait to start our family.

If you're a woman and you've hit 30, you probably know how difficult this is-the body wants to procreate, but life and politicians don't always give you the best conditions to do what you want or what you feel is right for you.

Hopefully, my husband will soon find a job that provides benefits and more income than unemployment.

It is not easy to feel ready to move forward in my life while I cannot. I am happy for my many friends and acquaintances who are pregnant and have children (some of them also had a long wait), but it does cause a bit of sadness at times.
Fortunately, there are clinics that offer free and low-cost services to women. If you are without insurance, you should still be able to get most of the services you require.