When An Insurance Change Feels Like Everything Is At Risk

To say the last few weeks have been stressful would be an understatement.

My husband’s work is switching health insurance providers. Normally that wouldn't affect us much. I’ve only been to the doctor twice this year, and my husband hasn’t gone at all. But for Oakley, it changes everything. Between ABA, speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, ear tube surgery, and multiple urgent care visits, she has accumulated $66,500 in medical bills this year, $63,000 of which has been covered by our current insurance.

The thought of switching providers instantly sent me into panic mode. Will her therapies still be covered? Will there be delays? Could she lose her spot in a program we fought so hard to get into? It’s hard to explain how quickly stability can feel fragile.

I also found myself carrying guilt. Over a year ago, we were given paperwork for respite care and I didn’t fill it out, simply because I didn’t know how. If I had, Oakley would already have Medicaid as secondary coverage and none of this would be so terrifying. I finally completed it just one week before we found out about the insurance change and thankfully, her respite care was approved quickly. We’re now in the process of finalizing her Medicaid application and hoping it takes effect by the end of November.

While waiting, I called every number I could find for the new insurance provider, leaving voicemails, trying to get clarity, getting no response. Even Oakley’s therapy clinic reached out with no luck. Eventually, I had my husband message his company directly, explaining how urgent this is for our family. That finally got movement. We were contacted by two people with the new insurance company who are trying to get us answers. I still don’t have certainty, but for the first time in weeks, I feel a little hope.

We have sacrificed so much to get Oakley into these therapies, and she is thriving because of them. The idea of anything being paused, or worse, lost, has completely consumed me. This has been my entire focus lately.

Right now, we’re out of town at my husband’s family’s farm pheasant hunting, spending time with family, finally breathing a little easier. Oakley did great on the three-hour drive, got to pick out a few toys from Runnings, and is loving the fresh air. We really needed this in the middle of all the chaos.

If you’re in a hard or uncertain season too, I hope you find one moment, even a small one, to rest. To step away. To remember that joy still exists, even while everything feels heavy.

With love,

Emily