re: Is this true????

she does get ssi

my brother was born 2 months early, he is now 19 yrs and still receives SSI because he has ADHD and is bipolar.

i may be getting social security disability for my son, but he has alot of health problems other than just being early.

If your baby is under 1000 grams at birth it qualifies for social security medical coupons as long as the baby is hospitalized. They say it goes on until one year but it's a lie. However, the hospitalization is definietly something to be thankful for. We paid $5000 out of pocket for a $304,000.00 total bill.
Any other services you need after hospital discharge come from your insurance, so make sure your plan has an out of pocket cap (ours was $5000 hence what we paid)If your out of pocket expenses---including copay, premiums, prescriptions, travelling to a hospital over 50 miles away during hospitalization---are more than 7.5% of your adjusted gross income it is a deduction on your taxes. Contact your local health department to find out what your community offers. My county offered a free nurse visit to my home every couple weeks after my baby was discharged for weight checks -- super helpful so you don't have to drag a baby that can't really fit in the car seat into a germ filled pediatrician office. Also, no one will tell you everything you need to know. It's A LOT of legwork when you are already exhausted, emotionally drained (and like me super pissed that you and your baby got screwed even though you did everything right and the 12 year crack addict down the street has a perfectly healthy baby!). There are resources but they may be hidden -- I found a great pediatrician at our health department that was a super advocate for me. You may have to investigate things that you wouldn't normally expect, for exapmle my son's RSV shots were $1000 out of pocket per shot at the children's hospital but a $20 co-pay from a home infusion company. I spent a few harried weeks that likely robbed 10 years of my life hunting down that little quirk. Good Luck! Don't give up.

it depends on alot of things.social security DISABILITY is alot different than regular social security. my son was 3 pounds when he was born but he see's a cardiologist, a neurologist,an ophtamologist, a physical therapist, and he has a congenital heart disease and part of his brain is missing and seizure activity in his brain.. so it just depends but just because your baby is small and thats all most of the time yo won't qualify, it also depends on how much money you make,

Assistance must just vary by state. Here in Oregon it was 1250 grams or under that recieved assistance, with no limit on how much a couple made or anything else.

Quoting Jessica [Slvrmoon]:“ Yes, some preemies do get assistance. It depends on the health and size of the child at birth, and continuing ... [snip!] ... 4 years. Why would some one tell you that anyways? It doesn't hardly compensate for the toll having a preemie takes though.”

I don't know. I mean I have been having alot of problems with preterm labor but that doesn't mean that I will have a preemie! People are just really annoying me right now and some girl mentioned the assistance so I thought I would ask. I know it doesn't hardly compensate the emotional or financial strain that having a preemie baby takes on people. But I do think it's weird that some preemies get assistance and others don't.

Quoting ~*Crystal*~:“ I don't know. I mean I have been having alot of problems with preterm labor but that doesn't mean that ... [snip!] ... that having a preemie baby takes on people. But I do think it's weird that some preemies get assistance and others don't.”

Yes, it is weird that some would and others wouldn't. Hopefully you'll make it to term and won't have to worry about any kind of assistance! Good luck.

Quoting Toby's mamma:“ i doubt it. my son has cystic fibrosis and he will have it the rest of his life and we were denied SSI. ... [snip!] ... life and we were denied SSI. oremies have probs usually during infancy but usually after, there arent many remaining problems.”

  Who on earth told you that?! Health complications from prematurity can last a lifetime. This about preemies being healthy once they reach full term age is absolute nonsense!! Preemies arent just preemies until they reach their due date, they will always have been born early and that has consequences. Too many girls these days think its 'ok' to have their baby early, probably because of misconceptions and things like this  

Those under 2lbs are at risk for severe disability, under 3.5lbs for moderate issues e.g.delayed development, poor balance or co-ordination, mainly behavioural issues such as ADHD - these things are often not even diagnosed until pre-school or even school age. Generally it is only those over 32 weeks that do not have any long term issues, and a fair percentage are born before then.

I do appreciate that healthcare is much better for preemies in some areas of the US. Of course there will be babies that are born earlier and dont have any problems at all, but its certainly not always the case. When you are in NICU with a 2-3lb baby it is not a stress free time, the doctors dont tell you everything will be ok, there are many issues and problems they spell out for you (even if they dont seem relevent at the time). Many of us NICU mums worry about the effects of prematurity long past our due dates/infancy.

Quoting Jessica [Slvrmoon]:“ Yes, it is weird that some would and others wouldn't. Hopefully you'll make it to term and won't have to worry about any kind of assistance! Good luck.”

I am praying that i make it! Thanks alot.

Quoting twinmami:“   Who on earth told you that?! Health complications from prematurity can last a lifetime. This ... [snip!] ... dont seem relevent at the time). Many of us NICU mums worry about the effects of prematurity long past our due dates/infancy.”

This is very, very true. Both of my kids have been given a 'clean bill of health' so to speak, but I stress about it regularly! Ethan is still just an infant and I worry a lot about him. Faith is to a point where most problems would be noticed, but I really worry about the behavioral stuff. She's supposed to start preschool in the fall and I'm afraid she won't get it like the other kids or she'll have a hard time paying attention. (She has a hard time at home). Us moms worry long after others have stopped thinking about it.

Quoting Jessica [Slvrmoon]:“ This is very, very true. Both of my kids have been given a 'clean bill of health' so to speak, but I ... [snip!] ... a hard time paying attention. (She has a hard time at home). Us moms worry long after others have stopped thinking about it.”

Girls wanting to deliver early just really annoys me, for some reason there is this misconception that preemies are fine one they reach term size/age. Any baby born under 3.5lbs is at risk for long term complications, well beyond the first year. People only think about major physical disability in terms of micro preemies, but behavioural problems from 'older' preemies are still very worrying for mums! People should know that prematurity doesnt just mean your baby is born early, growth and development in an incubator is NOT the same as growth in the womb and that does carry risks.

Im sure Faith will enjoy/do well at preschool   I raised my nieces for the first few years and they both love nursery. I cant believe the firstborn (she called me mum from the beginning) is starting school next month!! i cant believe she is 5 already!! she is all grown up *tear*. But i found they both learnt alot in preschool, better fine motor skills - drawing etc, better at sharing, more talkative. Sheesh when they come home they talk non stop about all the little girls and boys in their class lol, they love the socialisation. Neither were born before 37 weeks though so its probably not relevant, sorry lol. Let me know how it goes when she starts! its such an exciting (and scary!) time, and it will give you more time with Ethan too  

Quoting twinmami:“ Girls wanting to deliver early just really annoys me, for some reason there is this misconception that ... [snip!] ... me know how it goes when she starts! its such an exciting (and scary!) time, and it will give you more time with Ethan too  ”

Yes, I'm really looking forward to quality time with Ethan, but I'm so stressed about Faith! I thought about post poning her, but I know I need to do what's best for her and not what is best for me. She'll have a blast. I definitely don't need her to talk anymore though! lol It's sad how fast they grow up. The little boy I was a nanny for is going to start school in Sept. It's cray!

Yes it true Malia gets a $30.00 an she is still in hopsital but when she comes home it will be increased to $630.00.

Quoting Malia's Mommy:“ Yes it true Malia gets a $30.00 an she is still in hopsital but when she comes home it will be increased to $630.00.”

Is that $630 every month? did they say how long it will last for?

Here they assess your baby once it is over 12 weeks old. My sons condition has been unstable and there is different rules for terminal illness, you have to know that your baby will still be in the same position in 6 months time and for us we just havent been sure of that.

If you get approved there are 3 rates; $140, $280 or $540 per month. (dependant on the level of extra care your baby needs above an beyond a 'normal' baby. For the full amount they must be severely impaired/disabled). Once baby is 3 years old there is additional money for mobility needs ie if they cant walk.

Its so unfair though that my son is suffering so much, ive spent well over $6000 just on getting in and out of hospital. Yet our friends baby just has severe eczema and gets the full $540 until their baby is 20 years old!!

Here they call it a 'postcode lottery' - it basically means if you live in the right zipcode you get good money, if not then you dont!   There are strict guidelines but each medical assessor seems to do their assessment differently!

All this money is a disability payment, not a payment specifically for being premature.