baby delivery costs??

[JennyLynn21]

I haven't read this entire thread but wanted to throw out a reminder that things don't always go according to plan.

We had a "surprise" pregnancy. Our health ins was through my employer with a $1,500 deductible and then 20% after that with no limit. Unfortunately my pregnancy resulted in my immediately being unable to work, multiple ER visits, and home health care for over three months. I was laid off about 8 weeks into this and so our insurance coverage ended. We were very fortunate to be able to get on insurance at my husband's employer. We had already hit the deducible and been paying 20%. When his insurance took over we had another $1,500 deductible and then 20% again with no maximum. Home health bills were sometimes over $200/day. So even at 20% our cost was still $40/day plus the costs of prescriptions. This was in addition to the usual ob/gyn expenses and ultrasounds.

Of course my dd wasn't due until February so we started a new year, new health insurance plan with dh's employer, and a whole new round of co-pays and deductibles. Plus the new insurance refused to cover my meds so we had out of pocket for necessary meds of nearly $100 day.

Remember I lost my job so we had lost my income and my dh had to care for me while I was on home health care so his income for the year was dramatically reduced.

I lost track of our total costs. Some were reduced and some were written off by the providers because of our situation but truth be told we've not yet recovered financially and it is nearly 10 years later.

Best advise is to plan as best you can but be ready for the unexpected because with kiddos there is always something unexpected.

MrsPooh I am so sorry you had to go through that that sounds terrible. Thank you for reminding things don't always go as planned. I am such a control freak so it's a nice reminder for me. Thank you

 

[JediBonas]

I lost track of the amt of emergency hospital visits I had. Pre-eclampsia is a witch. Then the early delivery via c-section and five days confined to bed not even seeing my daughter until day three. Fun times. But all added to the $130k paid by my insurance company.

I'm sorry you both went through that. I ended up with HELLP (related to preeclampsia) and had to deliver early and had a five day hospital stay as well (and was nearly readmitted). As much as I had wished my insurance had covered our infertility treatments, I was much happier after that with the 100% maternity coverage. I never even saw my hospital bill (c-section as well)! Now I'm curious what it was, I saw my twins' ($4.5k and $5.5k, and that was no problems, no NICU, they kept them in the hospital the five days since they couldn't release me).

 

[Gracie09]

I'm sorry you both went through that. I ended up with HELLP (related to preeclampsia) and had to deliver early and had a five day hospital stay as well (and was nearly readmitted). As much as I had wished my insurance had covered our infertility treatments, I was much happier after that with the 100% maternity coverage. I never even saw my hospital bill (c-section as well)! Now I'm curious what it was, I saw my twins' ($4.5k and $5.5k, and that was no problems, no NICU, they kept them in the hospital the five days since they couldn't release me).

Hellp here too! I was thrilled to pay $500 total for my hospital stay. We only found the total because we asked for an itemized bill because the hospital was trying to bill us three co- pays instead of two. My sister had her twins in 2000 at 29 weeks 5 days. Their bills were over a million dollars. They paid very little of it, maybe $250.
I think I was the only woman to leave the hospital heavier than when she went in thanks to shut down kidneys and constant ivs. I was so swollen my maternity pants were too small and at one point they took blood from the veins on the under side of my wrist. Yuck. I really wanted to get pregnant again just to try and experience a "normal" pregnancy but alas that was not to be.

 

[Maggie Lizer]

My insurance company was billed over $10,000 for each of my son's births. I am glad I have good insurance and paid nothing.

 

[crisi]

MrsPooh I am so sorry you had to go through that that sounds terrible. Thank you for reminding things don't always go as planned. I am such a control freak so it's a nice reminder for me. Thank you

I'm trying to remember whose pregnancies went completely as planned. I think I have two friends who did - or relatively so, it never goes COMPLETELY as planned. But I mean "didn't need intervention to conceive (or then adopted), had a normal ******l birth without intervention."

I have one of five adopted children in our circle of friends due to fertility issues.

I had a normal delivery - but only after years of infertility treatment, adoption, and a pregnancy that included partial bed rest and pre-eclampsia. My sister had two via IVF - then very normal deliveries - and then two kids who ended up int NICU for a week due to breastfeeding jaundice within a few days of their birth.

I have a girlfriend whose first was born via emergency c-section. Her second was born via emergency c-section - she was being prepped for surgery in the elevator. The third they just scheduled the c-section - her OB said "with your history, I'm not even trying - I don't think its safe."

Two of my other friends ended up with c-sections after twenty four plus hours worth of labor.

Another had a normal birth - but then ended up in surgery herself because she wouldn't stop bleeding - she almost died.

The tragedy is a friend whose daughter went without oxygen for fifteen minutes during birth who has severe cerebral palsy.

My great grandmother gave birth to fourteen on a farm, including two sets of twins - I doubt the doctor even made it out for all the births. If my friends and I were giving birth on farms at the turn of the twentieth century, there would be a lot of dead moms and dead babies. None of us started at nineteen though, and advanced maternal age (i.e. many of us were older than 30 for our first birth) complicated matters in at least one case (the friend who lost all the blood - who was over 40). I seem to be in a cluster of dramatic conception/adoption/birth stories - but those stories are not uncommon.

 

[kamik86]

I haven't read all this thread but I know for me I have a out of pocket max for the family of something like $7500 so it sounds similar to you.

But if you think about it that isn't that bad. I like that we have an out of pocket max. That means for the entire pregnancy and birth we have a max of 15K we have to pay (due to spanning two years) That means even if I end on hospital bed rest for several weeks, a baby in NICU, etc.

Now I had another plan before with a much lower deductible but no limit. That would have been much less for a perfectly healthy birth but due to all the things that could happen I am happier knowing that there is a cap.

 

[mickeyboat]

I had wonderful insurance when I delivered DD13 and DD14. My employer paid the entire premium for me and my family, and I had a $10 co-pay for maternity care - no deductibles, no co-insurance. So for $20, I had a 2 1/2 week hospital stay for myself, an induction, two ******l deliveries, and a 2 week ICN stay for DD14. Pretty sweet deal!

I would hate to think how much it would cost me now.

 

[barbarabini]

After having 4 kids, in NJ and the price going up each time, and the coverage deductible getting higher each time, I would say over the course of the 9 months, save your deductible and if possible, save your OOP max. All 4 were csections, all four hit my OOP max. The max was 1500, 3000, 5000 and 7500 respectively. If you could possibly bunch the pregnancy and birth into one year... that would be awesome...so get crackin!

On the last two, the hospital billing staff came in the morning after, to process my deductible payment... I bring my jetblue amex for that purpose...at least if I am having a baby, I am getting some "mileage" for Disney out of it. Then pay it off with your savings. It is expensive and don't be afraid to ask for a 10% discount is you are paying in full. In nj they gave it to me. It saved me 750 this time.

Good luck... and BTW kids get more expensive as they get bigger... but I would never have had as much fun and happiness without them.

 

[4HppyCamprs]

We have very good insurance in exchange for not so great wages but I can say our insurance is worth every missed raise. Not one of my three deliveries was event free and that was with three perfectly normal pregnancies up until the last few weeks. My babies also all had varying degrees of jaundice and one was rehospitalized after his release. It all added up to way more than 8000.00 . The doctors contract for prenatal and ******l birth alone was 3000.00 per delivery and did not include any of the hospital portion, interventions, pediatric doctor (separate doctor with separate charges) ultrasounds or bloodwork.

Up until a few years ago well baby visits were not covered and shots had to be given at the health department (Dh is a state employee) so essentially weight and height checks were 185.00 a visit.

DS two came 8 days before the flex plan year and so none of the money put into that was usable for the first week of well baby visits (3). It is expensive to have and raise children.

None of my family or friends have any idea what we paid or do pay currently. Discussing finances is not really done and so I am sure there are a lot of false assumptions out there.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Iowajes]

This thread made me check my insurance.

My previous work maternity is paid 100% for all pre-natal, delivery, and post-natal care. So having a baby would cost $0.

My current work we have a 10% co-insurance for delivery and a $5 co-pay for all office visits. The out of pocket maximum is $1,700 a year, with no deductible. So at most, if it wrapped two years, it would be $3,400.