Coverage for Prenatal visits when unmarried.....

I live in Illinois. I work in Missouri. The woman carrying my child lives in Missouri. My employer and insurance company are refusing to pay for prenatal care for my the woman carrying my child, and ultimatley for my child. Is there any way that they can be forced to cover this care? She is not considered my dependent under their definitions. Can this be changed, without getting married? This care is after all directly related to my child which is my dependent, or wil be depending on the legal definition of when life begins. What recourse do I have in this matter? Thank for any help you can offer.

[Shay-Pari'e]

She can't be covered since you are not married. When the child is born, you can most likely add him/her onto your policy.

Has there been any defininitive legal answer given as to when life begins?

[cbg]

No. There is no way they can be forced to cover her. If she is not a dependent under the terms of the insurance contract, then she is not entitled to insurance coverage under your policy. Nothing whatsoever in the law says that they HAVE to even cover your spouse, let alone your pregnant girlfriend. For that matter, they don't HAVE to provide insurance coverage for YOU.

You have no recourse except getting married, after which IF YOU PROPERLY ADD HER TO THE POLICY they will pay for any treatments AFTER the date of the marriage. If you don't want to do that, you have no recourse at all

They will not be responsible for your girlfriend's care when she gives birth, either, btw. Under Illinois law, they must provide care for a newborn - my source does not say how long, but traditionally most states that have such a requirement, require 30 days. That care will be ONLY for the BABY, NOT for the mother. Her bills are entirely her own - or your - affair; your insurance has NO responsibility for them. You will have to actively add the baby to your insurance plan for them to have any responsibility for him/her after the 30 days, as well.

I just caught that the mother lives in Missouri. Missouri does NOT require newborn care. Therefore, you will have 30 days to actively add the baby to your plan, or the insurance will have no responsibility for the baby, either. Forget everything I said about Illinois law; it doesn't count.

[Beth3]

She is not considered my dependent under their definitions. Your girlfriend is not your legal dependent under ANY definitions.

Can this be changed, without getting married? Nope.

This care is after all directly related to my child which is my dependent, or wil be depending on the legal definition of when life begins. You may add your CHILD as a dependent to your employer's group health plan after he/she is born (provided you do so within 30 days) but your girlfriend is not your legal dependent and cannot be added.

What recourse do I have in this matter? None.

[nextwife]

A child born outside of marriage is NOT legally that of the father UNTIL paternity is legally established. Therefore, even at birth, if you do not sign the birth certificate and affidavit of paternity, the child is NOT yours until the legal steps needed to establish paternity are taken.

So, the child is NOT "yours" under the law until legal paternity establishment occurs after birth. The issue has nothing to do with "when life begins". It is a mattter of legal paternity - which does not occur for an unmarried father until after birth.

Good grief, doesn't she have her own health insurance, as she's not your spouse or even in your state?