The Bates Family (18 kids)

[LisaR]

I just watched Primetime and they featured the Bates family. At one point they were asked what they did if any of the kids had a medical emergency. The father said they don't have insurance but they can go to any hospital and they will have to treat them. Later in the show, they are asked how they make ends meet. The father makes a big point out of saying that they do not accept help from the government. Ummmmm..........isn't free healthcare for 20 people taking from the government or am I missing something?

 

[m&m's mom]

Interesting. I only caught the last 10 mins. So they do not have insurance? Who pays for all the Dr visits having babies requires? I see they showed a Dr tonight for the other baby she is pregnant with.
On a total side note- why do all these extreme birthing women have to be so child life in their voice and mannerisms?
So does the husband have a job?

 

[HelenePA]

Anyone can go to the ER and they will have to treat them not only people with 18 kids and no insurance.

 

[LisaR]

Anyone can go to the ER and they will have to treat them not only people with 18 kids and no insurance.

I realize that but isn't that the definition of government assistance? How do you then claim you don't get help from the government?

 

[Michelle67]

Anyone can go to the ER and they will have to treat them not only people with 18 kids and no insurance.

Exactly. And just because they have to treat you doesn't mean you aren't going to get a whopping bill. Now whether or not you can pay it is another matter, but the same issue exists with people who do have insurance and whose benefits cap out before their treatment is complete. Ask my 23 year old son in law with the quarter million dollars in medical debt hanging over his head.

 

[disfan07]

I'm all for providing assistance and governemnt programs and providing health care to everyone (I'm considerd uninsurable by the insurance companies...believe me i'm all for providing care) but I think this is a situation where they probably would not be able to pay for the bill if they saw it

 

[HelenePA]

I realize that but isn't that the definition of government assistance? How do you then claim you don't get help from the government?

Like someone else said unless the govt is paying the bill they aren't getting gov. assistance.. they are paying (or not paying) the bill that will come in the mail.. what happens when you go to the dr and your insurance doesn't pay all of the bill? You pay it.. same happens here they just cut out the insurance part

 

[kwelch10377]

Unless otherwise said I am going to assume that they are paying the bills that they get from the ER and not just bailing on them. Something tells me that it may be cheaper to do that in the long run. If they have to pay for insurance themselves I could imagine it would be VERY expensive with that large of a family.

 

[disfan07]

Exactly. And just because they have to treat you doesn't mean you aren't going to get a whopping bill. Now whether or not you can pay it is another matter, but the same issue exists with people who do have insurance and whose benefits cap out before their treatment is complete. Ask my 23 year old son in law with the quarter million dollars in medical debt hanging over his head.

luckily now the insurance max isn't a problem anymore.

But I believe that there is a difference between their situation and other situations. I have seen those ER bills. A CT scan can be $20,000. The way that they live, with all of those kids, they probably can't pay for that OOP. They are probably getting reimbursed with from the hospital or givernment funds.

ER bills are some of the most outrageous things out there

 

[kwelch10377]

luckily now the insurance max isn't a problem anymore.

But I believe that there is a difference between their situation and other situations. They keep CHOOSING to have all of these kids that they can't truly provide for and they expect to still get assitance for them (and yes, it is government assistance)

Where is it said that they aren't paying their hospital bills?

 

[LisaR]

Like someone else said unless the govt is paying the bill they aren't getting gov. assistance.. they are paying (or not paying) the bill that will come in the mail.. what happens when you go to the dr and your insurance doesn't pay all of the bill? You pay it.. same happens here they just cut out the insurance part

I know zero, zip, nadda about this family other than what I have learned tonight. I watched exactly one episode of the Duggar family back when I had cable. I now understand the two families are friends and I know the Duggar family can be a source of controversy.

I know what I heard the father say. I also know that a tree trimmer without any insurance wouldn't be able to pay the bills for the pre and post natal care of 18 children not to mention all the other medical expenses (I have their blog pulled up now and one of the girls had wrist/hand surgery last month).

It sounds as if you know more about this family than I do. Do you know if they get government assistance for medical care? If they don't and they want to have 100 kids, I say go for it!! My only objection is if I am paying for their flock of children.

 

[Hannathy]

I didn't watch it because I refuse to support families like this by watching them on TV BUT

Do they not believe in immunizations? or do they go to a free immunization clinic? because if they do then that is Government aid. Just paying for their "shots" would be in the thousands for all those kids.

I find statements like that Father made disgusting and really anger me. I just love paying for other peoples irresponsibility.

 

[superme80]

Many Christians are part of medical share groups. You pay a certain amount every month, but it goes to people with different needs. They might be part of one,.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

I don't know anything about how they pay (or don't pay) their ER bills, but pre- and postnatal care isn't necessarily all that expensive. I paid $2,000 each for my kids' births, and that included all prenatal care, birth, and postnatal follow-up, in a midwife attended birth center.

 

[HelenePA]

I know nothing.. didn't even see the show.. I just answered how they could go to the hospital with out even gov. insurance and the hospital would have to treat them.. if they said they have NO insurance this means they are paying OOP or stiffing the hospital. Are you sure she has the kids in the hospital? are you sure she is seeing a dr when she is preg and then after she give birth?

 

[kwelch10377]

I didn't watch it because I refuse to support families like this by watching them on TV BUT

Do they not believe in immunizations? or do they go to a free immunization clinic? because if they do then that is Government aid. Just paying for their "shots" would be in the thousands for all those kids.

I find statements like that Father made disgusting and really anger me. I just love paying for other peoples irresponsibility.

How do you know you are paying?

 

[Hannathy]

How do you know you are paying?

If he is showing up and using free hospital care we are all paying. And or any clinics, etc

 

[HelenePA]

Aren't some clinics run on donations and not govt money? also some catholic hospitals will give out charity care if your make under $$ I see the form on the wall every time I take my dd to speech.

 

[Aisling]

I'm not a fan of their Quiverfull philosophy, but these people are business-oriented. They've ingrained in their kids to be as self-sufficient as possible.The one older Bates kid has his own lawn mowing business and he appears to be making good money. The other boys work with their father in the family tree-cutting/removal business.

If they need a bit of assistance for medical care, so what? They aren't sitting on their bums waiting for their food stamps and welfare checks and raising lazy entitlement kids like many many welfare families are. They seem to be a decent family and it's a pleasure to see their happiness with each other, working as a team. They seem to think of each other first, not themselves. That's what's missing in a lot of "regular" families these days.

 

[LisaR]

Many Christians are part of medical share groups. You pay a certain amount every month, but it goes to people with different needs. They might be part of one,.

I didn't think of this. I've heard of these programs and this might very well be true.

I know nothing.. didn't even see the show.. I just answered how they could go to the hospital with out even gov. insurance and the hospital would have to treat them.. if they said they have NO insurance this means they are paying OOP or stiffing the hospital. Are you sure she has the kids in the hospital? are you sure she is seeing a dr when she is preg and then after she give birth?

She has used a midwife for something like 14 of their kids but she has definitely had some in the hospital. I don't know if the others were home births or hospital births still using a midwife. She has definitely had ultrasounds and blood work because they showed those.

As I mentioned above, the one daughter just had hand surgery. It was done in a hospital with an orthopedic specialist because they have pictures on their blog. My husband just had carpel tunnel surgery. Including the follow-up visits, the total charges will easily top out at over $10,000. I know we wouldn't be able to pay that on a tree trimmers salary.

The doctor that does the prenatal care is very religious and they pray together during the appointments. Maybe they do participate in the Christian medical share type thing. If so, I have no problems with this.