baby delivery costs??

[Arkansan]

SO TRUE!!!!! It's amazing how it adds up as they get older. Soccer, ballet, piano lessons, college savings accounts, clothing, shoes, food!! Oh my, the FOOD!! My son is just 10 and he already can eat a whole pizza in one serving and he is already 5ft 3!! He just keeps growing and eating. My husband and I were thinking the other day about how at some point we will have 4 teenager at home at once I don't even want to think about our monthly food bill then, it is expensive enough now!

Don't forget braces, eyeglasses, yearbooks, sports or club fees, t-shirts, school pictures, etc. My DD is on yearbook staff this year and I was excited when she said she would get her yearbook for half-price. Then she brought home paperwork to fill out as it is a club at our HS, not a class. All clubs and sports have fees--$120 for the first one, $80 for the second, and $60 for the third per child per school year. After three activities per child, they are free. This was her 2nd activity of the year, so her (normally) $60 yearbook cost us $110--$30 yearbook and $80 club fee. We also paid for her to take gym during summer school as she didn't have room in her schedule during the school year. Soon she'll need a t-shirt advertising the musical as they wear the shirts on certain days. At least the musical was her fourth activity, so it is "free" for her to participate.

I just bought second DD a $50 warm up jacket for her cheer competitions. She needs new cheer shoes, too. ($70-80). Fortunately, her feet have stopped growing so she will wear them out instead of outgrowing them.

I also have two in braces right now. We have good orthodontic insurance (by industry standards--or so I've been told by 3 different orthodontists in two states) so I hate to complain too loudly, but it doesn't cover the full cost by a long shot. Our third child has had phase 1 of braces, but I'm hoping he won't need phase 2 until at least one of the two already in braces are paid for. But we did spend over $200 for his eyeglasses (after insurance) a few months ago.

I don't begrudge these expenses. I WANT them to have straight teeth and to participate in activities. DH and I were enriched by our activities in HS and in life and we think that busy kids are less likely to fall in with a bad crowd, as they don't want to risk being able to participate or get kicked off the team. (Our HS makes kids in clubs or sports or even kids with parking permits to sign a paper that the school will conduct random blood tests for drugs and alcohol in order to participate. We are FINE with that.). We are blessed that we can provide them with these opportunities and I think our kids know how lucky they are. I also know they will appreciate this even more as they mature.

I am glad you are thinking about this prior to pregnancy, OP, as too many don't. I don't mean to scare you, as things usually have a way of working themselves out. It is good to plan, but also enjoy! Make the best decision you can with the information you have and go from there.

 

[Minnesota!]

It has been almost 7 years since I had my youngest, but we paid a copay for my first appointment, everything else was covered. I paid $100 for my hospital admission and that was that. I did have to pay about $250 for a breastpump.

My younger son had a lot of health issues when he was born - the ambulance ride from one hospital to another cost ME about $800 after insurance. His NICU stay was incredible, too. Hundreds of thousands. We paid a bit on that...but no where near $8000.

 

[fabulousfive]

I'm so sorry as that seems really high. Our first baby in 2005 cost us $15. Our second and third were more like $2,000. I suppose the difference is that we have a better insurance plan. Yes, babies cost a lot, but $8,000 seems like a ton to save just to have the baby! Please don't get discouraged, it always seems to work out.

 

[clutter]

I paid $20 to have my baby....in 1999. Can't believe the turn health care has taken in 14 years. It's very sad.

That's not true. It's how company's structure their health care.

I paid $50 to have my dd in 1997. Today, if I was to have a baby (ok, technically I can't since my hysterectomy ) it would cost the same. My co-worker is pg. If she's in the same HMO that I'm in, it'll be $50. If she's in the indemnity choice, it'll be deductible plus 20% of the contracted amount to the max out-of-pocket.

 

[supersnoop]

We did just sign up for a health savings account and that is new to me, Can you tell me about it? I know we contributed $500 to it, and his employer will add $1,000 to is. I know we can roll it over to the following year, but what to you mean by tax benefit?

A Health Saving Account (HSA) is different from a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), so make sure you don't get those terms confused. FSA's don't require a high-deductible plan, so they are more widely available. FSA's are use-it-or-lose-it accounts, while the money in an HSA is yours forever.

You can put up to $6,550 into a Health Savings Account this year. All of that money is pre-tax if it's deducted from your paycheck, or written off at tax time if you put the money in yourself. The $1,000 from his employer counts towards that limit. If you're in the 25% tax bracket, you're saving that money right away. For people without a high-deductible plan, only medical expenses greater than 7.5% of income are deductible.

The HSA funds also roll-over, can be used for medical, dental, and prescription expenses, and, when you retire, can be withdrawn like an IRA.

Unlike other changes to your health coverage, you can adjust your HSA withholding at any time for any reason. It really makes sense to max it out, especially the first year or two.

 

[jahber]

We are having our 3rd baby at a birth center. Self pay price is $6000 (and it's on the high end--many places are cheaper), which includes all prenatal (except the ultrasound, which was $80), labor support, delivery, post-delivery care for me and a pediatrician visit for baby, and post-partum care for me (6-week check up, etc).

Most insurance will cover a birth center, but even without using your insurance, cash pay is cheaper than monthly premiums before and during pregnancy plus deductible.

If you are expecting a normal birth (and most women are, including those who have had one or more precious c-secs), a birth center is a great way to save money and have the birth you desire instead of the birth the hospital and insurance want you to have.

 

[Egdisney]

I would also say that if you plan to cut back on work after baby, why not stick everything extra away until then. Figure out how much you will make just on the weekends and keep that in your budget. The rest goes into savings. That way you know that are able to afford working less, and if you aren't, you can figure out where to cut or what needs paid off so you can. After you have 8000, start trying for a baby, keep doing the same thing to build your savings.
Also, most hospitals have financial assistance. You will be surprised at how much you can actually make and qualify for it. It adjusts by how many people are in your family(in most cases).

 

[kathie859]

I think the most important info contained in the thread is the nudge to call the hospital's financial office before sending in a check to pay your portion of your bill. Twice this year I called about the balance due after insurance paid and both times I was given a discount for a lump payment. I was even able to use a credit card which earned points and then I paid off the credit card. This was from 2 different hospitals--not in the same "group".

One bill was $4000 for DH (1 night in the hospital for a heart ablation--$88,000 for one day!!!) and a final bill for $1200 for a 5 night stay for me with no surgery involved.
DH's bill was discounted to $3300 and mine to $995. I never would have thought to call for a discount had it not been for my DD who is a health care professional who told me hospitals are happy when someone actually wants and can pay them!

 

[Calliaz]

I think I'd do a few things in your situation:

1. Call back and talk to someone else just to be sure you got the correct information. I've had CSRs give me incorrect information. You can also ask for a copy of the plan document to check yourself.

2. Price check and decide if you might want to look elsewhere. Around here the price can vary (and a standard homebirth is a lot cheaper than $8k).

3. Consider that the plan could change again next year. This might encourage you to try earlier to get the birth in this year (as if you can plan these things, but it might be better to try). I started out in one plan year and paid $10 for everything. I had no other costs. It was supposed to be an "everything for 1 copay" thing. Until Jan 1 and the new plan year started. Then I ended up paying about $500 because of new rules.

 

[Karenj2]

Honestly, $8000 seems like a drop in the bucket for me - we spent $25,000 on fertility treatments to get pregnant with our 3yo DD (which covered the appointments, ultrasounds, egg harvest/IVCF/transfer, but NOT the medicines, which mostly were NOT covered.) Once we "graduated" to my regular OBGYN, we had to pay the copays/etc. for them, and then had to pay the hospital bills on top of all that once I delivered her (unmedicated v-birth, no complications.) One bill that really irked me was the bill for the auditory test - it's madatory for our state, she would not be released from the hospital without it, but the only group that does the testing was out of network, even though the hospital itself & my OBGYN practice was all in-network.

For my twins (now 7 months old), we spent $3,000 for fertility treatments (including a previous try that resulted in a MMC) at the same facility, the meds were all covered (80%) - our plan had changed for the better. I'm not sure what the hospital cost was, but even though I had the babies in May, I had already maxed the OOP expenses early in the year due to the bi-weekly ultrasounds. This birth was much more complicated - epidural & induction because they didn't want me going past 38 weeks, then I ended up having issues and almost had an emergency hysterectomy, so got lots of meds to help stop the bleeding. Luckily the babies didn't need NICU stay at all.

It *is* expensive, even if your pregnancy and birth is completely uneventful. I LOVE Egdisney's suggestion!

 

[mjkacmom]

I paid $20 to have my baby....in 1999. Can't believe the turn health care has taken in 14 years. It's very sad.

I payed about $25 for all 5 of mine in total!

 

[teCh0010]

We had our last child in 2010 at a private hospital, with a separate women's hospital and delivery center.

We got bills from the obstetrician, hospital, anesthesiologist, and pediatrician. The total for our portion was around $1800. We have a PPO insurance with low deductible.

 

[Srbright]

RachelRoo I called tonight to speak to my insurance company and this is how she explained it to me..

Our deductible is 3,000. So we must first pay that. Then our insurance kicks into to do 80/20. Then when it gets to be $8,000 they will start paying 100%. I asked if that was the normal for it to reach $8,000 and she said 'Oh yeah, be prepared to pay $8,000 even for a normal healthy natural delivery '. However that covers everything, like the appointments before, ultrasounds, and also baby's costs. Does that makes sense?

Please call your benefit specialist (not your local HR person) and have them run it through. Even with a $3,000 deductible it is quite likely that many things are covered with a co-pay. Your doctor's office visit may be $150 but your co-pay is $20.

Even with $3,000 deductible, it is then 80/20, so you pay only 20% of everything between $3k and $8k. 20% of 5k = $1k. So the max you would pay is $4k, not $8k.

That being said, health care hasn't taken a turn for the worse. As other's have said it depends on your company. I had complications with our second child (DS7) and the entire cost of the treatments over 5 months was $78,000. No, I don't need to take off a zero, it was almost $80k. We paid about $200 in co-pays (drs visits and prescriptions) plus $100 for the delivery. For a bill of $78K we paid less than $400 out of pocket.

Stacy

 

[Pumpkingirl7]

This whole topic makes me sick to my stomach. And the reason we probably won't be having a third baby. My first son in 2007 cost $3000... 2011 for daughter was $500 ( I had great insurance before I bc stay at home mom).... Now it would cost $7000 for another baby bc my husband does not work for a company so we have individual insurance and pay $700 a month in premiums. Our insurance is more than our mortgage... So probably won't be having another one

 

[malibuconlee]

Please call your benefit specialist (not your local HR person) and have them run it through. Even with a $3,000 deductible it is quite likely that many things are covered with a co-pay. Your doctor's office visit may be $150 but your co-pay is $20.

Even with $3,000 deductible, it is then 80/20, so you pay only 20% of everything between $3k and $8k. 20% of 5k = $1k. So the max you would pay is $4k, not $8k.

That being said, health care hasn't taken a turn for the worse. As other's have said it depends on your company. I had complications with our second child (DS7) and the entire cost of the treatments over 5 months was $78,000. No, I don't need to take off a zero, it was almost $80k. We paid about $200 in co-pays (drs visits and prescriptions) plus $100 for the delivery. For a bill of $78K we paid less than $400 out of pocket.

Stacy

I bolded this. It is not correct.

$3000 deductible. Not knowing how the rest of the plan works there are many variables, however...

OP is responsible for the first $3,000. Assuming that counts toward her Out Of Pocket Max of $8,000 it works like this. For every visit or expense after she is responsible for 20% of the insurance company's negotiated rate for each visit until all of those 20%'s add up to another $5,000.

 

[NYEmomma]

I had twins in 2012 and our max out of pocket was $5,000 so with all the ultrasounds, NST's, induction, epidural, multiple ******l delivery, etc. we easily hit that amount through the course of the pregnancy. Every time I had ANYTHING done related to the pregnancy, I was charge twice because it's twins.

On the upside, we squeezed DH's vasectomy in at the end of the year and didn't pay a penny for it!

ETA: We paid under $1,000 for DD1's delivery in 2008. Epidural and ******l delivery with no complications.

The twins' delivery was complication free as well with no NICU time... it was a multiple delivery though so there were double the everything.

 

[minushka72]

I'm really liking my insurance more and more. My DS was born in 2006 and DD in 2010. I had no out of pocket costs with either of them except my pre-natal vitamins copay. We have no co-pays or deductible for any prenatal/maternity care. My DD was delivered by c-section (stubborn little girl didn't want to come out after my water broke 18 hours earlier!) so I know that bill was pretty large and BCBS paid it all.

To the OP: You should definitely look into the coverage your job provides to see if it may be a better fit.

 

[sherry7]

We are blessed to have excellent insurance (hope it stays that way with the health care law changes coming over the next couple of years). DD3, cost us a grand total of $10. The bills totaled to nearly 50,000 as I had issues during pregnancy.

 

[Srbright]

I bolded this. It is not correct.

$3000 deductible. Not knowing how the rest of the plan works there are many variables, however...

OP is responsible for the first $3,000. Assuming that counts toward her Out Of Pocket Max of $8,000 it works like this. For every visit or expense after she is responsible for 20% of the insurance company's negotiated rate for each visit until all of those 20%'s add up to another $5,000.

I is correct as long as you do, as I did, and assume that the pregnancy is a normal cost and that nothing catastrophic happens. She is likely to pay around the $4k mark with the numbers she provided for her insurance.

If you take the anedcodtoal stories here of around $5k to $7k to have a child plus

here: http://static.squarespace.com/stati...5901/2012 iFHP Price Report FINAL April 3.pdf
$9,800

here:
http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/09/opinion/declercq-childbirth-costs/
$18,329

here:
http://www.vhi.org/health_care_cost.asp?id=MT2
$11,100

and here
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/201...ger-to-come-out-than-they-did-in-grandmas-day
$9,400

The average cost, even on the high side, is about $12K for a normal delivery WITHOUT insurance. With insurance the average is much less because of the negotiated rates.

Even if we pull the high side and go to the $11k it would not be $8K OOP. Lets be conservative and say including scans, one ER trip for unknown gas and the GOOD epidural the total bill would be $15k. The OP would pay:

$3,000 OOP
$2,400 = 20% of $12,000
Total: $5,400 and that is at the high side of a normal delivery.

For her to actually get to an out of pocket maximum of $8K the entire bill would have to be $28,000. That would equate to
$3,000 OOP
$5,000 = 20% of $25,000
Total: $8,000

Stacy

 

[MaleficentRN]

OP, since your life circumstance is changing, you and your husband need to reevaluate you health insurance. When your company has open enrollment, look at all the plans they offer and find the one that works best for you and your plan to start a family. It might be with your company or with your DH's.
Your health priorities change over the years, so everyone should do this. There was a time when DS had severe asthma, so we went with a plan that would cover ER visits. Now that DH and I are getting *ahem* older, we get a plan that covers specialist visits (dermatologist and such) Find one that covers maternity 100%. You may pay more each month, but it would beat the $8000 or more they are quoting you now.


Not to second guess your financial planning, but why pay six month in interest on your credit card debt when you can pay them off now from your savings?