How to Find the Best Illinois Maternity Health Insurance Plan

What are some of the best Illinois maternity health insurance plans? What is the average cost of pregnancy in Illinois? How do I find the best Illinois health plan with maternity benefits? These are all important questions for anyone in the state of Illinois that is considering becoming pregnant to ask.

Many females will eventually experience the miraculous 9 month period of pregnancy, possibly more than once. Approximately 4.1 million children were born in the year of 2005. It is an important thing to have maternity insurance during these wonderful 9 months so you can make sure that bundle of joy will be healthy and delivered safely. If you are a part of the 13% of women who are without maternity added onto their health insurance or that simply do not have any health insurance at all, then don't wait any longer and do something about it as soon as possible.

Having a child is a very big financial burden, that's why every pregnant or soon to be pregnant female should have this much needed coverage. There are hundreds of health insurance companies that don't automatically cover maternity. As soon as you have the intentions of becoming pregnant, make sure to check that it is included in your plan. If it is not, then you have to contact your insurance company as soon as possible to add it on. The state of Illinois has an estimated 12 million in population and there has to be some women out there who do not have this type of coverage. For this reason it is important to understand what choices are out there when it comes to Illinois maternity coverage.

One great Illinois health insurance company which is rated to be an "A" (Excellent) by A.M. Best and that optionally provides maternity care to their customers is, United Healthcare (known as Golden Rule Insurance in the individual market in many states including Illinois). United Healthcare has been in business for 40 years providing customers with great health coverage. It is for this reason that they are one of the largest insurance companies in the United States serving an estimated 18 million people.

Another wonderful Illinois medical insurance company that gives you the option of maternity care is Humana. The official sponsor for health care of the PGA Tour is one of the largest publicly traded health benefit companies in the nation. The company founded in 1961 has kept growing through the years and today they have approximately 6.4 million members. Usually with Humana you will have the option of maternity care if you pay an extra $1,000 in deductible and then you will be subject to the co-insurance.

Lastly another great IL medical insurance company that should be looked at is Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois which was founded in the middle of the Great Depression in the 1930's. It is an independently operated health management company from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Insurance Company and for this reason they offer different plans that what other states do. They also offer a maternity coverage, but although you won't have to pay a deductible on it; it will raise your monthly premium.

If you're a women that might have gotten pregnant unexpectedly and now it is too late to sign up for maternity insurance, or if you simply cant afford it. Don't worry, because there is still hope. There is a pregnancy and maternity coverage provided by Affordable Health Care Options (AHCO) called the "Maternity Card". AHCO has been giving customized non-insurance health care benefits since 1994 and they have become very famous around the United States.

The Maternity Card is a discount card that could save you up to 60% in pregnancy related expenses. Some of the services given to you if you apply and are accepted to receive this discount card include doctor visits, hospital stays, lab works, sonograms, new born tests, new born immunizations and prescription drugs.

You have to pay a small monthly fee of course, but applying to this card will in no way harm you considering they have a "certificate of guarantee." This certificate states that "you will save at least the cost of your yearly membership or we will pay you the difference plus $200, if you are expecting a baby". That's really something you can't turn down, because it is a guarantee that you will save money if you sign up.

As said before maternity care is very important in a woman's everyday life. An unexpected pregnancy can happen very easily since not even condoms are 100% effective and you must be prepared in every single situation. If you do not have Illinois health insurance and you become pregnant then there is a good chance you will be in debt after you have your baby, plus pregnancy brings prenatal tests, doctor visits and much more.

The Differences Between Men and Women in Their Expression of Depressed Feelings

Depression is a serious condition that impacts every aspect of a person's life. Depression is individualistic and is not the same for men and women. There are many factors that contribute to depression from sexual hormones to social pressures to how one responds to stress. Overall, depression is twice as common in women as compared to men. According to the National Mental Health Association one in eight women will experience clinical depression during their lifetime.
 
Common complaints of major depression include: feeling depressed; loss of interest or pleasure in activities they use to enjoy; feelings of guilt, hopelessness and worthlessness; suicidal thoughts or recurrent thoughts of death; sleep disturbances (sleep more or less); appetite and weight changes; difficulty concentrating; and, lack of energy and fatigue. Women, also, have a higher incidence of thyroid problems, and hypothyroidism can cause depression.
 
Women and men tend to cope with depression differently. Women ruminate. This includes crying to relieve emotional tension, trying to figure out why they are depressed, and talking to their friends about their depression. However rumination has been found to maintain depression and even make it worse. Women tend to talk and talk about their feelings to others until the anger and depression is drained off or they seek out professional help.
 
Men tend to bottle up their feelings. They distract themselves from their feelings of depression by keeping busy. They are raised with such social myths as , "big boys do not cry" or "do not show your feelings as the other kids will think you are a sissy."   

Men tend to let the angry and depressed feelings build over a long period of time until they either explode like Mt. Vesuvius or take some dramatic action to get rid of their feelings of anger/depression. Male depression is far more likely to be deadly, as seen in the recent headlines that sadly demonstrate this point in the recent case of the man in Virginia who killed his wife and one son before killing himself.
 
A major factor in the differences between how men and women express their depression is the way they are socialized in their roles. Most women in our country have been raised to be other-oriented. Throughout life, women advise their daughters to be good children, good wives, and good mothers. Such value-laden advice essentially says, "Your worth comes from what you do in relation to other people, and not from whom you are as a unique individual." This value is very different from one that says, "Create and pursue your own independent dreams, even if it means not marrying or having children."   

The cultural value for women is "Be-other-oriented and conform to expectations of others" in the traditional female acculturation, is it any wonder that women are diagnosed as depressed nearly twice as often as men. The typical man in this culture is raised to achievement-oriented, having been taught from childhood that worth is determined by accomplishment. It should be no surprise that men have high professional expectations and strives to achieve them, even at the risk of his family relationships. 

For as long as circumstances permit him to achieve, he can earn great rewards in the form of approval, financial success, professional status and so forth.   If this man is somehow blocked from achieving, the central focus of his life is lost. The significant point here is: our values can create rigidities in people that make them a candidate for depression if those values are challenged in some way.
 
Another impediment to men seeking help for depression is the strong stigma that men attach to professional care of any kind. Again, our roles in society are, also, a factor. Women are responsible for caring for a sick child or spouse more often than men. When they take time off from work, co-workers tend to understand, and forgive the imposition.  On the other hand, one study found that "male workers who took some time off were rated as less performing than those who did not."
 
Women tend to internalize emotional pain, saying to themselves that they must have done something to cause the problem, while men, tend to externalize emotional pain. They are more inclined to see others as obstacles that prevent them from reaching their goals and feel victimized. Men discharge their distress through action.   Hence the statistics, which show that women attempt suicide more often than men, yet males, actually kill themselves at a rate three to four times higher than females.
 
Women process their experiences with their friends, and are much more likely to tell a physician how they feel and cooperate in the prescribed treatment. As a result, women get better treatment for their depression. Admitting to being depressed is the ultimate shame for many men because depression carries, to many, a double stain--the stigma of mental illness and also the stigma of 'feminine' emotionality. Many men treat their depression with alcohol. Alcohol is a depressant. For someone who is all ready depressed, alcohol greatly enhances the depth of the depression. Several studies have shown that alcohol impairs the senses and clouds judgment, predisposing a person to impulsive suicide. Impairment from alcohol also masks inhibitions and allows people who have planned suicide the opportunity to initiate the act.
 
In conclusion, as a society, we must admit and accept the reality, and the normality of male depression.  We need to work harder to give men the same helping hand that many women get simply because women are more willing to acknowledge their depression and seek out professional help.

Understanding Postpartum or Postnatal Depression

Postpartum or postnatal depression is mainly caused by hormonal changes brought about by the pregnancy. The onset of this type of depression can occur as late as 18 months after labor.

An estimated seventy percent of women experiences postpartum depression. Many of these cases are fairly mild and last only a few days, while others are more severe and can last much longer. The latter types will typically require medical treatment. It is believed that the more severe cases tend to affect women who have lower self-esteem, or women who have had prior history of depression, or single mothers who lack the necessary support from close ones.

The symptoms of postpartum depression are similar to most other types of depression. The symptoms include irritability, inability to focus, sleeping problems, headaches, feeling a sense of dread or sadness and a loss of interest in pretty much everything.

Postpartum depression is not easy to overcome. The depression feeds on itself, growing stronger as the woman's self-doubt grows. She believes that the way she is feeling isn't "right"; she may think that the "proper" feeling she should have is joy at her newborn, and may wonder why she isn't feeling that way. As a result, she begins to think she is a bad mother or a terrible person, and doesn't deserve to have a child. These feelings of guilt and self-doubt worsen the depression, and can make it difficult or impossible for the mother to bond with her newborn child.

It is important to note that such feelings are common. A newborn will no doubt lead to huge lifestyle changes, and no amount of preparation will seem enough to handle them. Lack of sleep, tiredness from taking care of the newborn, and general doubt whether you're being or will be a good mother or not all contribute to postpartum depression.

Consider depression as a kind of speed bump in your journey through life. In the grand scheme of things, it is but a temporary hurdle that you will overcome; it just seems extremely foreboding at the current moment. A newborn is a gift, and you may find it hard to believe that in your state of depression at the moment, but never give up trying to fight the depression.

If you are severely depressed after birth, then do consider seeking treatment. Remember that postpartum depression is fairly common, and does not reflect badly on your motherhood skills. Do not doubt yourself, and do not be ashamed to get professional medical help, or support from your loved ones.

What You Should Know About Maternity Leave in the USA

Half a century ago, new mothers resuming their jobs while leaving their children in the care of others was mostly unheard of. Traditionally, the father was the one who worked outside the home and was the breadwinner while the mother stayed at home to care for the kids. However, many women of today find that staying at home with their baby is far more difficult that it was decades ago when the income of one spouse was usually enough for providing a comfortable living. Nowadays, two incomes are usually required just to keep things afloat. Another reason for going back to work is that many women do not want to give up their careers after starting a family.

Maternity leave is a common option available to new mothers who want or need to keep their full-time jobs. Although not a long term solution, it is helpful for a couple of reasons. Bonding between mother and child during the first few weeks after birth is necessary for the baby's healthy mental and physical development and for the mother's recovery.

What should you know about maternity leave in the United States? First and foremost, there is no federal law which guarantees paid maternity leave. This makes it difficult for mothers to stay at home without worrying about monthly bills.

According to a federal law, the Family & Medical Leave Act, women are guaranteed up to twelve weeks of maternity leave. This law is in place to allow mothers to enjoy time off from work without worrying about the loss of their jobs. Another federal law states that it is illegal to fire or refuse to employ a woman because she is pregnant or to terminate her because of maternity leave.

Unfortunately for some women, the FMLA law only applies to businesses with more than fifty employees. Furthermore, you must have worked for the same company for a minimum of one year and for at least 1250 hours. This means that if you haven't had the same job for at least one year or only worked part-time, you cannot be guaranteed maternity leave. Even women who are eligible often can't afford to take twelve weeks off from work.

So, what options are open to you? If you are determined to stay at home with your baby, working from home may be possible. Your company may allow telecommuting. If not, you may want to look into other career paths that do allow you to work at home, such as medical transcription. You may try doing an online search for such jobs. Some of the common freelance jobs that allow you to make money at home using your computer with an internet connection include writing articles, editing, proofreading, website design, graphic design, illustration, etc. The great thing about our computer age is that more mothers than ever before in history can now make money while staying at home with their babies.

Behavioural Changes During Pregnancy

Pregnancy brings together quite a number of discomforts in most women. The underlying fact is that the discomforts vary from individual to individual. Some may experience nausea, vomiting, heartburn, dark pigmentation, stretch marks, Back ache, nasal congestion, etc. Apart from these physical changes, behavioral changes may also be noticed during pregnancy. But some lucky women will have no problems at all.

Below are some of the common behavioral changes that could be seen during pregnancy. They are not to be worried, but will disappear with the birth of the child.

Mood extremes- Due to the hormonal changes associated with pregnancy, mood swings are very commonly observed. Even the strong women might feel high at spirits at one moment and low at the very next. Often working women feel lack of interest in their job and related matters during this time. Depression found in pregnant women is not a surprising change in behavior as it can be expected at this phase. Thus the life partner needs to understand the pregnant woman so that she gets good care and comfort.

Tiredness- Tiredness seen during pregnancy is a signal shown by the body that one has to take it easy and relax. It is advisable to have sleep for at least ten hours a day so that the body and the mind get enough of rest. If sleeping ten hours continuously is not possible, then one can have some short naps in the afternoons. Pregnant women are normally recommended to go to bed early. Before going to bed, it is wise to recite a prayer, poem or sing a favorite song so that the unwanted stress level could be kept away. But in some cases, tiredness may also be caused due to the reduced count of Hemoglobin in the blood.

Sleeplessness- Sleeplessness is seen common in pregnancy. This mainly happens due to the stress or worry. During the course of pregnancy, women might have a fear or worry regarding their pregnancy or child birth especially when they are nearing their due dates. Sometimes, it also happens that one may get satisfactory sleep at the time they retire to bed, but later may wake up in a few hours. This may be due to the desire to pass urine or sometimes by the baby's kicking. This waking up at the midnight could be controlled to an extend by not taking fluids just before going to bed or in the late evening.

Abnormal cravings- Some people may feel abnormal cravings for unusual things like soil, coal, etc. The medical background of this abnormal craving is due to the lack of minerals like calcium or iron. In such a case, doctor can detect and see what misses out in the body what supplements should be added.

It should be noted that indiscriminate use of certain medicines may cause harm to the pregnancy and the baby inside. Thus medication should however be kept to minimum and should be taken only under doctor's prescription.

Does Acupuncture Work for Anxiety and Pulled Muscles?

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese treatment that has a wide variety of uses. It's been around for thousands of years and has been used to treat individuals suffering from back pain and other forms of pain, to improve fertility, relieve stress, and for other purposes.

It works by inserting thin, sterile needles in certain points on the body, which practitioners believe helps to release positive energy, which in the process pushes out negative energy. Practitioners believe that a life force, called Qi, may become blocked due to trauma, stress, poor diet or lack of exercise, and may manifest in a variety of different ways. By unblocking this life energy, patients feel relief.

Anxiety and depression affect people around the world, and many seek treatment in a variety of forms from speaking with a therapist to prescription medication. Acupuncture has been helpful in addressing depression and anxiety, as it can be a good reliever of stress. It is intended to relax individuals throughout the treatment, which can have a positive effect on many individuals who are suffering from depression or anxiety.

Acupuncture has even been used to treat individuals with a pulled muscle or back pain. It's treated those with arthritis, headaches and migraines, whiplash, sciatica, fractures, muscle tears, bruises, etc. Before you seek acupuncture for any injury or emotional disorder such as anxiety, post-partum depression, etc. speak with your doctor. Individuals may enjoy varying degrees of success with acupuncture, but many have reported success with a variety of conditions including infertility.

The exact reasons for acupuncture's success are not fully understood, but studies have indicated that putting the thin needles used in acupuncture into certain points on the body helps with the production of endorphins. Scientists differ as to whether certain activities such as acupuncture help to release endorphins, as studies conducted use endorphin plasma levels and this may not be an accurate portrayal of endorphin plasma levels present in the central nervous system.

Nevertheless, the ancient treatment has been reported successful by many individuals who have given acupuncture a try. It continues to be used by athletes to treat certain injuries or pain, as well as many in the general public who are dealing with physical injuries or emotional issues such as stress and anxiety. Finding ways to manage and relieve stress can have a positive impact on several aspects of one's life, and acupuncture is one such means by which many achieve this goal.

What Health Care Reform Means For Infertility Coverage

The Senate version of the recently enacted health care reform does not provide any obvious, direct relief for couples looking for infertility health insurance coverage. Upon closer inspection there are areas where our friends in Washington have taken away, and places that show a glimmer of hope. Much will change over time as more details begin to emerge. Take a look at what can be learned from a high level overview of the bill.

I was interested to see what help the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" offered, if any, to couples facing infertility. One can learn very interesting things by downloading the 2,409 page PDF document available online. Adobe Acrobat provides a handy word search feature that allows us to quickly see what, if anything was done to address the needs of couples trying to conceive.

So I typed in a number of keyword phrases, and got the following results: Infertility: 0, IVF: 0, Fertility: 0, In Vitro Fertilization: 0, Assistive Reproduction Technology: 0

Okay so it seems that the new law does not provide any obvious direct help for couple trying to conceive. Is there indirect help? Let's try typing in "pregnancy" as see what comes up. We find twenty one entries; now we may be onto something! The entries break down to these categories:

• Establishment of a pregnancy assistance fund to help pregnant and parenting college students.


• "A sense of Congress" to study the mental health consequences of women "resolving" pregnancy.


• Funding tied to state-established goals to reduce teen pregnancy rates.


• Personal responsibility programs designed to educate adolescents on abstinence, contraception, and sexually transmitted diseases.


• Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) as it relates to oral healthcare.


• Removal of cost share for counseling and pharmacotherapy for cessation of tobacco use by pregnant women.

It seems we are out of luck once again. Funding and attention are allocated to preventing pregnancy, and keeping already pregnant women healthy, but nothing about helping get people pregnant.

Flexible Spending Accounts can be very useful for infertile couples. Pre-taxing helps lower costs for the very high level of unreimbursed medical expenses associated with infertility treatments. Let's see if the bill provides any help in this area? The news is not good. Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts contribution limits have been capped at $2,500 for any plans with tax year's beginning after December 31, 2010. It still makes sense to utilize your FSA to keep costs low, but a $2,500 limit does not make much of a dent in a $15,000 IVF payment.

Let's not give up yet. There are those state run health exchanges to examine. Their principle purpose is to provide some level of coverage for individuals with pre-existing conditions. The funds by nature lose money for the states that currently run such programs; which means your benefit may exceed your premium. Each state is given some level of flexibility it how it will set up and run its exchange. Perhaps there may be something for infertility hidden amongst these exchanges.

And then there is prescription drugs: 136 mentions, and a few that aren't related to Medicare (the program for people over age 65). Perhaps we can explore these topics in another article. Stay tuned.