I’m always amazed by how my fellow Americans put up with this and think it’s normal. Even in my life science PhD program, one of my buddies said something to the effect of “but without the cost we wouldn’t have all the innovation” There is definitely a grain of truth to that, but I highly doubt charging $5,500 for IV fluids contributes much to innovation. . . Americans complain about it but never take action. It is truly bizarre to watch it unfold. So sorry you had to go through this. I hope one day it will change
@egghead24-711 күн бұрын
This was incredibly insightful, I'm from London and moved to America to be with my husband and we're planning on starting a family within the next year. I knew expenses were costly here but never knew it could be THAT much!!! And it blows my mind that mother and baby have SEPARATE BILLS! WHAT!
@katharina143913 күн бұрын
WHAT THE FUCK😢 IT'S FREE IN GERMANY. 😳 I have a homebirth(again) so I have to pay the midwife 750€ for her to be on call for 6 weeks. But that's it. Who has the money to pay for the delivery to even have a child???
@nicvic171711 күн бұрын
For immigrants giving birth in the US, how much you pay depends on your immigration status. For those here without documentation, births are free of charge. For citizens, how much you pay heavily depends on what kind of health insurance plan one has and who their provider is. Many insurance plans and providers do not cover home births here in the States, hence why hospital births are still the most common. I just had my second home birth. Since it’s not covered under our insurance, birthing this child in my own home in my own bathtub cost me $10k even though I’m very fit and active and the pregnancy was low risk with no issues or extenuating circumstances. For my first home birth several years ago before inflation skyrocketed, it was $6k with the same midwife and the same health scenario. We definitely have to budget before or around the time we plan on conceiving in order to afford giving birth. I’m tempted to just free birth at home for any future children, but the potential risks to myself and my child still scare me enough for me to hire a midwife.
@redtopaz10 күн бұрын
Really interesting hearing your experience! I also got pregnant and delivered in the same year. My husband and I just got the bill for our delivery. The delivery bill was $34,000. We paid $3000 of that before we hit our out of pocket maximum. The insurance company "negotiated" the rest of the bill with the hospital and paid them an additional $7000. Got billed for $34,000; Hospital got paid $11,000. What a farce. Why don't they just charge the $11,000 if that's the real cost? We haven't even gotten the pediatrics bill for our stay after delivering. We also paid $1400 out of pocket for my pregnancy (co-pays and medications over 9 months, and a delivery down payment).
@o.m.eigner577111 күн бұрын
Hi there! I have lived in the USA for a long time and I remember hearing that medical bills can be disputed, you can drastically reduce the amount owed. You should research that. This is just ridiculous how they come up with these crazy numbers! The only sensible number I heard was for the anesthesiologist. I have lots of friends who gave birth in the USA and your uncomplicated delivery should be costing around $10k. Find forces in yourself and fight. I am so sorry. It is disgusting how they bury you in medical bills when you are at your weakest, be it a new mama running on no sleep or suffering from a chronic illness. I gave birth in Germany with some complications and a c-section. It costed me €0. Plus, a post-partum midwife that was coming to my house for several months also for free. Wish you luck!
@nicvic171711 күн бұрын
It’s also very common here in the States for people to file for bankruptcy when they can’t afford to pay off their medical bills. So that’s also an option too if the insurance company isn’t willing to budge. I have several in-laws who “pay” for their medical expenses by filing for bankruptcy. The whole American healthcare and insurance system is so messed up and corrupt! It doesn’t serve the people.
@gemmarium433710 күн бұрын
This is a major reason why the birth rate in the US is plummeting.