Approximate medical expense for delivery (Houston, Wichita Falls: insurance, go bankrupt, deductible)

[shanv3]

Hi,


What would be an approximate amount for delivery in Memorial Herman hospitals?? I am pondering whether or not to get insurance if the amount is lesser than or equal to the deductible.


General estimates in the web suggests around 10000 but please if any of you have had experiences with Memorial hermann..

[Texas Ag 93]

I don't have experience paying cash in Houston, but I did pay completely out of pocket in Wichita Falls 8 years ago, and it was indeed right about $10,000. And that was the facility (hospital) fee. Vaginal birth with no complications, 2 night stay. Physician fee was another $2-3K or thereabouts.

[ipuck]

If there is no complications, should be around 8 to 10k.

I had my kid at Memorial Herman also. My insurance send me a notice on all the bills paid and it came in around 9k total. Memorial hermann was around 5k. The delivery doctor was 2.5k. The baby doctor was around 1k and other misc was 1k i believe.

You are taking quite a risk by not signing up. If there is any small complication, you will probably go bankrupt trying to paid the bills.

This is probably one time you will come out ahead by signing up for health.

Keep in mind not all insurance carriers will accept this pre-existing condition. I know for a fact most individual policies would not accept a pending pregnancy (at least not couple years ago when i look). Obamacare will.

[Hangster]

The deductable would most likely be less than the cost. Without complications, it would be around $10k to $13K. If there are complications, it can go through the roof depending on the issues..

[sonic0boom]

By law, the max out of pocket with insurance is about $6700 a person and about double for the family. Sometimes they can find ways to put some of the charges towards the newborn, which can be unexpected if you are just counting on hitting the deductible of the mother and it stopping there. You can check with the hospital.

But as someone mentioned, complications will make things expensive really fast. Which is the point of insurance, really, since you cannot anticipate everything.

[ipuck]

Originally Posted by sonic0boom

By law, the max out of pocket with insurance is about $6700 a person and about double for the family. Sometimes they can find ways to put some of the charges towards the newborn, which can be unexpected if you are just counting on hitting the deductible of the mother and it stopping there. You can check with the hospital.

But as someone mentioned, complications will make things expensive really fast. Which is the point of insurance, really, since you cannot anticipate everything.

What law are you talking about?

[sonic0boom]

Originally Posted by ipuck

What law are you talking about?

ACA max out of pocket

[shortel]

You could do what my friends girlfriend does and pay hospital bills off 10 dollars a month at a time. She used to do medical coding and knew all the loopholes.

[swopoe]

I delivered 2 daughters at Memorial Hermann hospitals. Get the insurance. Why take the risk, especially with a newborn? I had a fast, but complicated, delivery with my first daughter. You really never know what will happen.

What about prenatal care?

[Failed Engineer]

I'd also advise insurance, but you can call the hospitals and try and negotiate a lower cash price, prepaid. It will only cover a non-complication delivery.