MeteorShower Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 (edited) Hi everyone! So this is just a general question that I've been wondering about for a little while. When one enters into a religious community as a postulant and then a novice, do they have to continue paying health insurance prior to making first vows? How is this handled? Would they pay prior to entering or is this included in a dowry (for those communities that ask for dowries)? Also, how is this handled for postulants entering from another country? *title makes more sense now :D * Edited July 21, 2011 by MeteorShower Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissScripture Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 [quote name='MeteorShower' timestamp='1311275281' post='2273066'] Hi everyone! So this is just a general question that I've been wondering about for a little while. When one enters into a religious community as a postulant and then a novice, do they have to continue paying health insurance prior to making first vows? How is this handled? Would they pay prior to entering or is this included in a dowry (for those communities that ask for dowries)? Also, how is this handled for postulants entering from another country? [/quote] I think this would vary from convent to convent. I know when my sister entered the Nashville Dominicans, she still falls under my parents' health insurance, but she would've if she had gone to college, too, so Idk if this is different for women who are older and could no longer be under their parents'. So, it wasn't included in the money she needed to bring with to enter. She did have pay some money, (I'm not sure this was considered a "dowry") because of what the convent provided for her (toiletries, clothing, school supplies, etc), I believe. If someone is coming from another country to the US, I would imagine they would need to get health insurance, but Idk for sure, and it probably depends on how the community handles this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faithcecelia Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 I must admit I am always horrified to hear of doweries or any need to take money with you, as a Carmelite it is never required. I know here in the UK the norm is if a postulant is from outside of the EU and therefore not entitled to non-emergency treatment without charge initially, any costs are paid by the community. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissScripture Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 I just asked my mom, and she said that for the first 2 years the Sisters are required to have their own insurance, and if my sister wasn't able to still be on their's they did give a suggestion of a policy. After the first 2 years, they are added on to the Motherhouse insurance policy. FaithCecelia -One thing to consider with some orders, such as Nashville Dominicans, is that they may be having to bring some money to pay for some things such as their clothing, but they are also getting free college. They don't have to pay for any of the classes they take, and that's worth a whole lot more money than what they are bringing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmaD2006 Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 It depends on the order ... in one order that I entered (in the US) you had to buy health insurance. I continued my existing coverage via COBRA. It was expensive -- at least $500 a month. The good thing was -- those doctors that I dealt with at the time waived any additional costs -- they waived the copays, and any remaining costs that the insurance did not cover. I *used* that coverage too ... one emergency visit, a nerve block, an endoscopy (because of the emergency visit), etc. If I had to pay all of that out of pocket, it was more than the 500 per month (the nerve block alone was over $6000). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faithcecelia Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 [quote name='MissScripture' timestamp='1311290079' post='2273261'] I just asked my mom, and she said that for the first 2 years the Sisters are required to have their own insurance, and if my sister wasn't able to still be on their's they did give a suggestion of a policy. After the first 2 years, they are added on to the Motherhouse insurance policy. FaithCecelia -One thing to consider with some orders, such as Nashville Dominicans, is that they may be having to bring some money to pay for some things such as their clothing, but they are also getting free college. They don't have to pay for any of the classes they take, and that's worth a whole lot more money than what they are bringing. [/quote] It still sounds alien to me, not saying its completely wrong but I can't get my head around it. College may be paid for, but they are giving their lives (hopefully til death, but even if just a year or whatever they aren't getting a salary). Is entry conditional of having the money? It was such a relief to me to know that I could have turned up in literally what I was wearing and knew that my needs would be provided for. The sisters in my old community ranged from one who entered with over a million £ in her bank with more to come as inheritance to the one after me who entered in debt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Therese Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 It varies from convent to convent. I'm entering the same place as Miss Scripture's sister, (ND's), and I'm responsible for my own medical costs (insurance, prescription medication, etc) for the first two years (i.e. until I make my first profession.) We are required to make a home visit at the end of the first year and we are responsible for the expense of travelling home and back. I guess its not so bad when you're covered by medical insurance that you're parents are already paying for anyway, but its quite another matter if you've been independent for several years and so you have to pay for your own! I think if clothes or anything wear out in the first two years or need replacement, we need to have a few hundred dollars that we leave in a special account for that purpose. All other costs (study, food and board, toiletries and other necessities) are covered. So for us, we don't need a dowry as such, but we DO need to have amassed sufficient savings to cover our own personal 'set-up' costs. Because I was financially independent and living alone, it has cost me several tens of thousands of dollars to tie off loose ends back here and to get set up to enter and ensure that I'm not a burden to the community or anyone else. It took a lot of hard work to build up the required savings to be able to make all of this happen. If you still live at home with your folks it probably won't cost you anywhere near as much. Also, as an international entrant, my costs are somewhat inflated. If you're entering a community in your home country it won't cost you nearly as much as it has cost me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 [quote name='Catherine Therese' timestamp='1311339306' post='2273726'] it has cost me several tens of thousands of dollars to tie off loose ends back here and to get set up to enter and ensure that I'm not a burden to the community or anyone else. [/quote] I just became much more terrified. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HopefulBride Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 [quote name='Lisa' timestamp='1311339557' post='2273728'] I just became much more terrified. [/quote] Me three. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksterling Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 It never bothered me that any community I was considering required a financial commitment. Since postulancy and novitiate are still considered discernment and a candidate could leave at any time, it seemed unfair to ask the community to incur expenses until vows. While my intent is to remain and devote my life to the community, the sisters are feeding and sheltering me while I can leave at any time. Part of my planning has always been to ensure that I have enough resources to support myself for the first few years. I am too old to be on my mother's insurance and have my own at work. I could have chosen to accept COBRA (which, as another poster has pointed out) is expensive. If you shop around online, you can find decent coverage, which is what I did. You can buy regular coverage or a high deductible policy (often $5,000, but you can get ones with lower deductibles like $1,000 or $2,500). I have the deductible amount in an account (it's amazing how much you can save in a year if you don't buy clothes and "stuff") and my insurance will pay above that. This was acceptable to the community I will enter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HopefulBride Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 [quote name='ksterling' timestamp='1311342494' post='2273753'] It never bothered me that any community I was considering required a financial commitment. Since postulancy and novitiate are still considered discernment and a candidate could leave at any time, it seemed unfair to ask the community to incur expenses until vows. While my intent is to remain and devote my life to the community, the sisters are feeding and sheltering me while I can leave at any time. Part of my planning has always been to ensure that I have enough resources to support myself for the first few years. I am too old to be on my mother's insurance and have my own at work. I could have chosen to accept COBRA (which, as another poster has pointed out) is expensive. If you shop around online, you can find decent coverage, which is what I did. You can buy regular coverage or a high deductible policy (often $5,000, but you can get ones with lower deductibles like $1,000 or $2,500). I have the deductible amount in an account (it's amazing how much you can save in a year if you don't buy clothes and "stuff") and my insurance will pay above that. This was acceptable to the community I will enter. [/quote] When do you enter Ksterling? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeresaBenedicta Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 I'm not sure what my community's practice is regarding this. Considering they haven't said anything about providing insurance as of yet, I think I'm okay... I do know that after first vows, each sister is intimately involved with finding benefactors. Each sister is asked to find benefactors enough for $100-200 a month. It's not a requirement to be in the community, of course. But it does help with some of their expenses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaPetiteSoeur Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 This makes me really glad that children can be on their parents' insurance until age 26 now! I didn't get insurance working for the Church and now I have a work study at university, so I'm still on my parents! I agree that it's a good thing we pay for insurance for the first few years as we're not full members yet and can leave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regina_coeli Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 [quote name='HopefulBride' timestamp='1311344767' post='2273774'] When do you enter Ksterling? [/quote] and where? so happy for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabriela Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 (edited) I do know that after first vows, each sister is intimately involved with finding benefactors. Each sister is asked to find benefactors enough for $100-200 a month. It's not a requirement to be in the community, of course. But it does help with some of their expenses. Oh my gosh! Where is this?! Edited February 13, 2013 by curiousing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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