Having a Baby costs $14,000 in the U.S.

[Ravenseye]

Thank God that my wife and I have insurance. Luckily we, barely, have enough money to poney up the nearly $1000 a month for our insurance, which covers 100% of our maternity costs.

btw had a baby girl last monday the 18th. 8 pounds 10 ounces, 21 inches, will vote Democrat in the midterm elections 18 years from now.

Anyway. Just got the bill from the hospital. Of course the 'pay this amount' section reads 0.00 as the insurance has covered everything. However the total cost, for all drugs, rooms, the c-section, etc...was $14,000.

What does a person do if they have no insurance, they can't afford insurance, and have a baby. They get a bill for that much?

Seriously this is absurd. Something needs to be done about this. If you pay less than 900 bucks a month for decent insurance for a family in this country, it's because your company is footing the bill, and they take that cost as a part of your salary. Everyone is effectively paying this much.

What about people making 24,000 a year? Can they afford to pay half their salary BEFORE taxes towards health insurance?

I'm so happy that we're lucky enough to be able to BARELY afford insurance, but I feel horrible for those people who have nothing.

Number one reason I hear from poeple who don't want national health care? 'I want to be able to choose my own doctor'

Selfish pricks.

[prayin4rain]

1. Congratulations!!!! I love babies!!!

[Ravenseye]

6. Thank You!

I don't love babies, but I love this one.

She's a tough one too. Very Strong. 1 week old and she was lifting her head up off the floor which apparently is unusual.

[BigMcLargehuge]

2. we paid upwards of 16K

of which we paid 20% insurance paid 80%.

[Ravenseye]

7. Yeah I'm glad we too the 100% option

We thought about the 80% but I decided that I didn't want insurance if it didn't cover everything in the maternity, and also I didn't want lifetime or yearly caps.

Thats one reason I"m paying what I pay, but as far as I'm concerned thats what insurance is. Whats the poitn of paying 600 a month instead of 900 if you end up having to fork over thousands of dollars a year extra.

[BigMcLargehuge]

10. I didn't have the option or I'd have taken it

:-(

[Ravenseye]

17. Yuck

Seriously the only option you had was 80% maternity?

Wow.

National Health Care NOW!

[Donkeyboy75]

3. It's not technically true that we all

end up paying $900 in the end for insurance. If I work for a big corporation, I'm certainly going to pay less than someone who works at a small business. Why? Big corporations can negotiate much better insurance deals so they pay less. Which, of course, drives up costs for those who don't work for the big firms.

Although it's not a conspiracy, it does work out well for many.

Edited for clarity

[Ravenseye]

5. You're Right, but...

The costs that they negotiate at large companies are still much higher than people see as the companies pay a good part of the bill.

The main point though is what about the rest of us schlubs that don't work for MegaOmniCorp and either work in small companies that don't offer insurance so we have to get our own, or small business owners, or people that work for a branch of MegaOmniCorp for minimum wage and can't afford the health insurance?

Answer? They're screwed.

[Donkeyboy75]

8. Yep.

I agree that most are totally screwed. It's ridiculous that health insurance payments should double what many pay in monthly rent/mortgage.

[SCDem]

4. Luckily my husband is a union member

People who complain about unions have never had the benefit of being protected by unions. Our son born last November cost nothing. All maternity related costs were 100% covered as well as the hospital stay.... and now with our little one born his visits are only $10 a visit and no money is taken out of my husbands paycheck at all.

Congratulations on your little one!

[Ravenseye]

15. Thank You

You're right about Unions.

Makes me sick when people complain about Unions. I generally respond that some are a little too agressive and are risking their members their own jobs...but think of where they'd be without Unions?

If you think that people would be better off without Unions, you either don't think, or you think REALLY poorly.

[shanti]

9. congratulations on your new bundle!

she's a good size! i had my middle two boys at home with the assistance of a CNM (certified nurse midwife). we were pretty poor back then 20 some years ago and i chose homebirth because it was a) cheaper and b) more emotionally satisfying. i had mine in southern california and back then, most of the women i saw in the office during my regular prenatal checkups were mexican women, probably undocumented. homebirth wasn't a popular option then, probably still isn't.

i wonder how many women have their children at home because they simply cannot afford to have them in a hospital?

[Ravenseye]

11. We would have had no choice.

I did think that homebirth would be a cheaper option for some, but what about in cases where c-sections are necsessary?

Our baby was transverse(sp) ie coming down sideways and got stuck int he birth canal. If we had done a home birth we would have had to add in the cost of an ambulance to get to the hospital.

Sometimes even poor people will need to use the hospital.

How sad is it that hospitals will only be for rich people.

Thanks for the congrats :)

[JanLip]

12. Congratulations!

When I had our daughter 37 years ago it cost $465.00 for a c-section and 8 day stay in the hosp. My, my have times changed! It is disgraceful how much everything costs now....Jan

[movie_girl99]

13. back in '91

my then husband and i didn't have insurance because he was self employed so the hospital we were to deliver at gave us a "cash" option. It was like $3000 for a vaginal and $4500 for a c-section. I would seriously doubt we could get that arrangement today.

[dr.strangelove]

14. Thats not what it really costs

Most hospital bills list the "rack rate" for drugs and services. however one of the benefits of managed care is that a tremendous discount is applied to these rates. Most managed care organizations contract with hospitals based upon a published usual customary rate, and then pay only a portion of that rate (i.e. 60% of the UCR). The hospitals do significant volume with these companies.

Those without coverage also would never pay this rate unless they are really wealthy, had no insurance, and just paid the bill when it came in. If you object to the cost, the hospital will negotiate. If you can't pay, most states have a Medicare program for birth costs and childcare.

It is insane how much health care costs though. If only we killed all those pesky trial lawyers (being a trial lawyer, I say this with extreme sarcasm).

[Cyndee_Lou_Who]

16. And 'they' wonder why women make the choices they do.

Look at the economy and it's clear why the abortaion rate increases when the White House is 'occupied'.

That's just the hospital bill.

After that there's the ANNUAL cost of raising a child- about $11,000. (http://www.bankrate.com/brm/calc/raiseChild.asp) Add college, and mom's rent just went up, and I am paying $2.20 for a gallon of gas and no one in the judicial system will help me a DAMN bit to get his father to pay a dime unless I come up with several grand to pay a lawyer....

OK, I am don'e venting. Thanks for listening.

[Ravenseye]

18. You're Right

Still I don't mind spending 11k on this baby girl in my arms in front of the keyboard right now. Heck I'll spend more than that.

I just don't think it's fair that if you can't afford insurance that you get screwed from the start.

You're right about the abortion rate though. Don't want people to have abortions, and then eliminate programs to help people with familys and babys. Take away all their options.

Thats compassionate for ya!

[movie_girl99]

19. oh no..according to a freeper in my office

the abortion rate is higher than ever because get this..women are more "immoral" now than ever before. Asked what he meant..he said its because "they" open their legs for anyone and then kill the babies as a way of birth control.

[Cyndee_Lou_Who]

20. Musta been one of those Compassionate Conservatives, huh?

[lawladyprof]

21. $16000 for an appendectomy

And it was ruptured--just a "routine" appendectomy. Why is education a right (under state law) but health (which can mean life itself) is not? Kind of like work or die.

Furthermore, perhaps employers should be freed from the burden of providing health care. They might make different decisions re: hiring new workers if they didn't have to provide this benefit. Moreover, our companies have to compete with companies in other countries that don't have to provide this benefit to their workers. That's it! FREE CORPORATIONS FROM HEALTH CARE COSTS!

[Trailrider1951]

22. Wow, I had no idea

and Congrats! on your new daughter.
My daughter just had her second daughter on July 20. She works part time as a waitress, and her husband goes to college full time and works part time as a cook. Since she was expecting a trouble-free pregnancy and birth, she hired a nurse midwife and had a home birth for about $3000. This is an option for those who do not have insurance and are healthy. Everything went smoothly, and Nijah entered the world a healthy 9 lbs. sweetheart! Hugs!
:hug: