A word of caution.

[kyburg]

You're hearing left, right and center about those octuplets. And their six siblings at home.

Be very careful who you listen to for information.

The people who did the work ain't talking. And they won't. The fact the family (and I'm not talking about grandparents who are blabbing in their front yards and claiming huge houses somewhere and all that) haven't come forward to identify themselves should be a hint.

They don't want your help, they know they're pariahs and thank you very much this was their choice. They want it, they'll ask for it. Until then - MYOB.

You don't know - you won't know - until they tell you themselves. That's HIPAA, that's your privacy laws at work, and pay attention to who is being shown in the news reports. They're pretty heavy on pictures of the medical staff, and the hospital. They're the ones who want to talk. (And they are CHUFFED.)

Frankly, the greatest strain on that facility right now is the loss of subscriber base due to people losing their jobs right now (people lose their jobs, they lose coverage - simple). Not one family with eight children, who clearly have paid to play. (And have been paying family rates for some time - come on, think.)

Be aware, informed and don't let anyone rip you off and play you.

You don't know. And that's a perfectly good place to be in this matter.

Comments

[vampireanneke.livejournal.com]

Your assuming they are paying for thier medical bills. I've heard that the lady applied for bankruptcy a year and a half ago.

[poetpaladin.livejournal.com]

Note: We don't know if they are or are not on Medicare. While Medicare pays regardless of what the woman chose once the pregnancy has started, again, I suggest reserving judgment because we don't know what their situation is. There are people who pay their own way or their families help.

That said, all or some of the 8 could very well have died due to the mother's choice to not interfere. But then again, her choice to leave it up to nature (or her god) is itself a choice even if it may allow her some amelioration (in her mind) for the risk and predicament she placed herself in if she chose fertility drugs (which the couple is entirely responsible for on that choice).

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

They're in a Kaiser facility - that implies coverage by a private carrier. *shrug* Believe me, they'd be out in a heartbeat after being stabilized, otherwise.

[luscious-purple.livejournal.com]

Just a teeny nitpick: Medicare is for elderly people over 65 and Medicaid is the program for poor people younger than 65.

I really can't imagine Medicare paying for a woman aged 65 or over to get pregnant....

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

*laughs* No, they don't. Perhaps he was thinking of MediCal(Medicaid).

Which, I might add, more babies are delivered on in California than any other payment method, including private pay.

You deliver babies - not make them - on MediCal, I should clarify, of course.

[7leaguebootdisk.livejournal.com]

Yes, but she just spent 8 mil (in the next year, care for those kids is likely to be a mil each) + how ever much lifetime care some of those kids are likely to need of someones money.

Unless she has a great income, she just found a nice way to cheat public support, even if she is not on the public dime, it is likely to make fiscal sense for her to get on it.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

What.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

They're Kaiser. That implies private, HMO coverage. If they were without coverage, they would be in a county facility as soon as they were stabilized. Believe me. (And this is the facility that dumped patients on skid row by taxi, remember?)

You can be bankrupt one year and have insurance after, neh?

[7leaguebootdisk.livejournal.com]

Medi-cal can be Kaiser in plenty of areas in CA.

IVF my ass, I bet this is internet mail order clomid.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

I know they can accept Medi-Cal, but don't forget. We got an inside track on this one. I just can't talk much about it. :)

Also, even if they were? It would be stabilize and transport. Particularly in our area where we are VERY dense on resources. There are other places to step down to, coverage wise.

[7leaguebootdisk.livejournal.com]

I mean it can be your medi-cal provider. That, I know.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

*eyeroll* I told you. I CAN'T TALK.

[cerulean-me.livejournal.com]

So I get the inside track thing... but, if they had Kaiser through Medi-Cal they wouldn't be transfered. A friend of ours up here had Kaiser through Medi-Cal and her premie stayed at Kaiser for all 3mo of her care.

In San Diego, Sonoma, Marin, Sacramento, and now Alameda counties, Kaiser contracts with Medi-Cal to provide managed care for patients.

http://files.medi-cal.ca.gov/pubsdoco/contact/docs/oos_mngcare.pdf

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

This isn't any of those, hon. *winks*

[cerulean-me.livejournal.com]

I get that... I'm just saying that just because one has Kaiser Medi-Cal does not mean that one would automatically get transfered to a county hospital.