Medicaid Catching On

Brenda - that is exactly what I was thinking....isn't that choice hers?

I don't think the last 2 posts are reading the point of that sentence...the APs aren't making "THE" decision...it reads like the AP+bmom are united in "working the system" to get the insurance to pay....APs would be taking baby home, but "let" (for lack of a better word) bmom take home in order to get insurance to pay. (which I still don't get , seeing that labor and deliver isn't a baby's cost/coverage issue) The point of all of this seems to be geting medicaid to pay...not APs making decisions for anyone. Am I reading that correct...not trying to read between lines or put something there that ins't. Not trying to anyway :)

Expenses for a failed adoption might qualify for the credit if followed by a successful adoption, but the two adoption efforts would be considered as one adoption and subject to the dollar limit per eligible child. [url=http://taxes.about.com/od/deductionscredits/qt/adoptioncredit.htm]Adoption Tax Credit - How to Claim the Adoption Credit[/url] Failed adoption attempts count, as long as its a domestic or special needs adoption. The credit is cumulative, however: if more than one adoption attempt doesnt succeed, or if you succeed after failing one or more times, your credit for all the attempts is limited to [url=http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/CollegeandFamily/Raisekids/P37251.asp]$10,000 adoption credit has many strings - MSN Money[/url]

Binkybear is correct. After a couple of calls in last couple of weeks where our insurance said they would'nt cover us, I finally got a supervisor today and she was able to get in print that they would cover the baby expenses retroactively. She says that its sort of policy for them to say no first and then see how far we push for an answer. Cost effective she says. Anyway she was very cool and stayed on phone to look up the info and we found we are good. This was a wonderful find for me and my husband. It means we're back in the adoption game.

Congrats!! That is really crappy though they do that. Cost effective maybe but unethical!! Grr I hate insurance companies sometimes!

jgs; I would 100% get that in writing NOW. Push (PUSH!) until you do. I can't count the number of times I have been told something wrong and on a follow up call I've been told that the prior person was wrong and, basically, tough cookies. All in all, I'm glad you called and hopefully they will continue to be on the up and up! :)

Our insurance company "couldn't" give us an answer when we asked when coverage for the child we planned to adopt would begin. They basically refused to give us an answer either way. Our agency informed us that our state mandated that it be retroactive to birth, and that if our insurance company fought us (as many apparently do), to tell them that they would be hearing from our lawyer. Our lawyer also offer to call for us when we first met with her. In the end, we only had to tell them that we knew the law, and ask for a card to be issued. It is a shame that you have to bully people in to doing not only the right thing, but what is mandated by law! Yikes!

OK, I'm going to be honest here, and now realizing that we are just talking about the baby's hospital expenses and not the cost of bmom's care and the actual birth (which the OP said "birth expenses", I think why everyone was confused) - I don't see the big deal about paying for the baby's hospital expenses. We were considered for a couple situations where we were told we would have to pay for the baby's expenses, and were quoted if all goes fine, that would be around $1500. Yes, that's a lot of money, but we're talking about adoptions that run in the $17-25K range. I don't see how this makes or breaks someone's decision to adopt. True, a baby could end up in the NICU and rack up a huge bill, but you can also decide not to go forward, as painful as that is.

I just wanted to say that I am glad that this is working out. Your original post about not being able to adopt did make me very sad about the idea that someone was thinking about giving up on their dream of building a family.:cheer:

Having fought insurance companies numerous times, do make SURE as Jenna says that you get something in writing. I can't believe they told you that their policy was to make people "push" for benefits that are rightfully theirs. URGGGGGH. In any event, good news!

We got it in writing with the insurance company that the baby expenses are retroactive so we are back on track. Thanks to those who were supportive. Much appreciated.