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To those people who have recently had a child at a hospital, how much was the total cost of the stay (including what insurance paid)? Would anyone also know the total cost per day?
I would think there are too many variables to be able to give one pat answer...
How long are you staying?
Are you having pain meds?
Is it an uncomplicated birth with minimal observation required?
Does the baby need emergency care?
Are you going to a public or private hospital?
Are you using a doctor or mid-wife?
Are you supplying your own needs (pads, drinks, socks, etc... you are charged for all these things)?
Then the question would be...what hospital? There are vast differences between types of hospitals and locations as far as what they charge.
I'm a man and I'm asking this question because I'm shopping for insurance and would be concerned about my significant other giving birth and whether it would be cheaper to give birth at home with a midwife.
I would not give birth at home. What happens if there are complications. .I know you don't have the equipment at home to handle that. It is safer to give birth in a hospital.
It would be less expensive to utilize a birthing center and midwife than a hospital and OB doctor...HOWEVER...you need to be sure that your SO is dedicated to a (mostly) unmedicated natural birth. Where she gives birth HAS to be her choice and not yours - regardless of cost.
I'm a man and I'm asking this question because I'm shopping for insurance and would be concerned about my significant other giving birth and whether it would be cheaper to give birth at home with a midwife.
You don't know how your SO's pregnancy will go and if that would even be a viable option for the safety of her and the baby. Specially when it's a first child.
You also are assuming a mid-wife is cheap, they can charge up to $3,000 to be at the house with you. And home births are not covered by insurance either.
Here's some pros and cons, but I'd leave it to the experts:
In that article the person lists that out of pocket expenses were $700 after insurance, but could have been up to $10 grand without it.
And above all, from all my friends who have had kids and had their birth plans they basically said "make your plan then chuck it out the window because that's what's gonna happen when you go into labor." Apparently it rarely goes like you want it to
We had ours in August. If I can make one suggestion, don't take anything for granted. You may have unforeseen issues that will require you to deliver in a hospital. For example, our baby was breech. We tried (unsuccessfully) to turn him. That was a ~$2k procedure alone. Because he didn't turn, he ended up being a delivered by c-section. Fortunately, we didn't have any other complications. The hospital bill ended up being $25k for my wife and $5k for the baby. Insurance paid all but $150 - no deductible or coinsurance on our plan. I know, we're very fortunate... That was for 5 days in the hospital and regular nursery costs. If I remember correctly, it was $1000 a day just for room and board. If we're talking vaginal birth and two days in the hospital without complications, it would probably have been about $10k at the hospital we were at. On the other hand, if something happens and your baby ends up in the NICU it can easily be over $100k and you will hit the out of pocket maximums on your insurance. Plan accordingly
Edit: Found our bill (wife only). This was the insurance billed amount.
Rm Two Beds Or More $5132.00
Drugs $451.00
Med/Surg Supplies $82.00
Laboratory Services $2283.00
Operating Room $8450.00
Anesthesia Supplies $640.00
X-Ray Services $586.00
Spec. Medical Visit $579.00
Recovery Room $1925.00
Other Services $3956.00
Treatment/Observ Rm $692.00
Total: $24776.00
Last edited by brian571; 12-29-2013 at 10:24 PM..
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