Why does it cost $32,093 just to give birth in America?

originally posted by: jjkenobi
I'd love to hear what people on ATS paid to have their children.

My first child was in 2007 and was around $900. My second child was in 2009 and was $150 (copay only).

If you live in a country that provides state healthcare feel free to say zero, but in reality the cost is your taxes every year. That's like me in the USA saying I've never had to pay for our armed forces protections. They never bill me, they just protect us when we need it. No out of pocket cost.

Over 35 years ago, and by C-section, so I honestly don't remember. I do remember we spent quite some time paying it off (on a teacher's salary.) However, part of the costs that are being overlooked here are the ob-gyn exams. In my case, this cost was helped by attending Planned Parenthood clinics (they offered pre-natal exams that included blood tests and also supplied me with birth control pills before we decided to have our first child.)

Good prenatal care is what prevents a lot of maternal and perinatal deaths (it can catch eclampsia, diabetes, and a host of other ills.)

Surely this is a rhetorical question. The cost of healthcare is out of control in America and nothing is being done to reign it in. Yet.

originally posted by: TheStalkingHorse

originally posted by: avgguy
a reply to: JohnnyCanuck

And your wait times to see a specialist is also 6 months. I could see a specialist this morning if I needed too.

You do realize, of course, that private medical service also exists here in Canada, and that you can get that kind of service if you’re willing to shell out for it... right?

Well, I guess that just blows your whole argument out of the water.

The American healthcare system is, by design, a system of inequality. American economic philosophy is to ensure a large pool of citizens living in or near poverty, in a system where cost of living exponentially rises in a relative manner the more poor you are, just so the rich and the middle class can have someone to blame for macroeconomic mismanagement.

Snipped for space, but a lovely rant and exactly on the money. And, having been poor myself and having once been strapped by medical costs that were actually more than we took home in a year's worth of work, I agree that the inequity only serves to push lower income people even further underwater. It's often a "no-win" situation... can't afford birth control on a regular basis, can't afford a child, can't afford an abortion either, and struggling for food.

We got out of the situation (mostly by struggling again and paying for Masters' degrees... luckily it was worth the gamble financially and our income went up five-fold) but that was in a much better economy.

Oh, you've made it so far and our ridiculous, golden-needles-prices haven't stop you from breeding... whatever, we will screw your child anyway with vaccines from day 1.

Devil is not a rebel. It's a liberal leftist commie

originally posted by: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
They call that socialism in the U. S....

That's why so many poor people in the US join the military.

a reply to: Southern Guardian
truth of matter is GREED. GREED OF DOCTORS. GREED OF HOSPITALS. GREED OF INSURANCE COMPANIES.
WE CAN'T BLAME THE POOR FOR THIS. medicaid does pay for women to give birth and babies to be treated but only pays what services are actually worth.

originally posted by: Blue Shift

originally posted by: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
They call that socialism in the U. S....

That's why so many poor people in the US join the military.

I'm betting that is by design.

originally posted by: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
I'm betting that is by design.

Well, nobody volunteers to be born poor.

Sounds like giving birth is an accident or some kind of sickness in your country to warrant insurance. Isn't insurance for something that goes bad like a fire or broken bones?

In my country, insurance does not cover bill for giving birth. In fact, my government will pay us for having babies.

originally posted by: jjkenobi
I'd love to hear what people on ATS paid to have their children.

My first child was in 2007 and was around $900. My second child was in 2009 and was $150 (copay only).

If you live in a country that provides state healthcare feel free to say zero, but in reality the cost is your taxes every year. That's like me in the USA saying I've never had to pay for our armed forces protections. They never bill me, they just protect us when we need it. No out of pocket cost.

Ha, ours are the same ages, mine were both years also, for roughly the same -- copays were just under a grand each. And my tubal's was $800.
*Edit: I guess I should give Humana a break here, though, it wasn't the best insurance package for what we paid, but a grand copay for a c-section is actually pretty good.*
FL was & still is renowned for having jacked up copays & poor ethics. My best friend's firstborn was born with Hydronephrosis that wasn't detected in prenatals. She's still paying those treatment bills off that her insurance refused to touch despite a LOT of fighting to do so, and the kid is 12 now. And her copay for him was over $4 grand. Screwed up medical system is screwed up.

a reply to: Southern Guardian

My daughter was free. Wyoming in the 90's.

Long time lurker here so forgive me if I am doing this wrong.

I guess I have been really lucky with my children. Both were normal births so no bells or whistles, I didn't even have an epidural. I think I paid less than a grand each child. I know for a fact the hospital bill was less than 4k for my son's birth last year, of which I paid 800 dollars of the 4k.
I don't think a lot of people realize this but you can negotiate prices with doctors and hospitals. For example, today I had two ultrasounds and because I paid them up front, the scans didn't cost but $200. I just have catastrophe insurance on myself and much better insurance on my kids. The healthcare savings account is actually kind of nice. My job gives me money for working out, losing weight, getting a flu shot, etc. For example, I got $25 dollars for just getting my flu shot this year. Doesn't sound like a lot but I had enough money saved up last year in my HSA to pay for all of my birthing bills from last year.

originally posted by: seasonal

originally posted by: Fools
Tort reform. Allowing Doctors to form co-ops. Insurance for health care has been a big boon for the middle man that has little to do with your actual health.

Socialism is not the answer. Socialism (more government control and meddling) has been one of the factors of the increase due to HMO's and pre-planned pricing quota's.

Tort reform subsidizes the medical industry with taxpayer money if the injured person is disabled due to the Dr. caused injury. After a injured person burns through the award that is greatly reduced because of tort reform, they go on disability and the tax payer pays for everything.

Privatized healthcare insurance is a "voluntary" privatized socialism for profit hybrid. But with real single payer systems the cost are controlled. In the US there is no restraints on the for profit system.


...

And the money that goes into the legal industry? astounding. Ambulance chasing is pretty common in this day and age. I have seen people retire after slipping on ice.

Hello,

Just for the fact, here in Belgium in one the best Hospital for giving birth, when i asked how much i would cost for the delivery + meds + 4 days in the hospital with a single bed room, it was about 4000 €. (it was free for me since i have an insurance).

originally posted by: JohnnyCanuck

originally posted by: avgguy
a reply to: JohnnyCanuck

It’s actually pretty good, I’d rather pay for what I need, than pay for everyone else’s problems.

Luckily, in our country we look out for each other. And nobody gets a bill for $32,093 after a childbirth.

No kidding my god that would be 18 years worth of saving for college education and even that would be a waste with the crap they teach these days.

Because for some reason they still believe that their liberal "winner takes all" model of society is a good thing... the US is a collective of egotistic people and for some reason they still ignorantly believe that socialism is a bad thing... that somehow if they decide to let it in they will all be communists tomorrow.

Let me flip it.

We've had 3 kids, all were born in a hospital. Everything in regards to pregnancy, including tests, scans and so on, the birth itself, everything in regards to the aftermath surrounding birth.... was free, for all 3 kids. We haven't paid a single cent/dime/euro.
At no point did the word "insurrance" come into play.

In fact... our social security system is build in such a way that if I have to buy medicine of some sort, the system will pay a percentage of that for me.
I even decided to get a 2nd insurrance years ago, so that now when I buy medicine or get dental treatments I "save up" money that the insurrance company pays out to me with regular intervals.

To put emphasis on the social security part:

- I had knee surgery, including preliminary MR scan for free.
- I have lifetime apnea treatment, including the machine and replacement machines for free.
- I've had 2x 10 sessions of psychologist for free at an earlier point in my life.
- Recently I lost part of my hearing on one ear (thankfully it only lasted a week), and examination for that was free.
- My first son had to get hospital treatment following birth, he had some spots etc. and that was free.
- Later when he was 3-ish he complained about stomach pains. We were at two hospitals including ambulance transportation between the two, scans, bloodwork, food while waiting, etc.... free.
- Tests for allergies etc.... free.

- If the unthinkable should happen and any of us get cancer or something else, we will get treatment... for free.
- If one of us gets terminally ill without chance of surviving, then as the time nears, we could be elligeble for hospice care... for free.


So you see... I'd rather pay taxes, than suddenly have to pay a hospital bill of 30.000 dollars.
Or have that happen to anyone or that matter.
I'd gladly pay taxes so that people who are less fortunate are able to receive help or treatment.

This is just part of the succes of taxes.... I didn't even mention the child care checks we get every 3 months (currently 1.400 dollars), our free schools, free university (of course books are paid for by the students, but the classes are free), heavily subsidised kindergartens, youth over 18 get state subsidy every month to help them pay rent and transportation.

Why is this bad?

You see the issue with the liberal "winner takes all" mentality is that a lot of those who favor it because they think the money they can see here and now are the money they can spend is that they never plan ahead.... they don't save up the money needed for those expenses. Because people are spenders....

more more more, now now now, spend spend spend, look at meeee!!
I have a great car in a great house!
Oh #... are kids really that expensive?!
Oh #... Why didn't anyone tell me that the human body eventually falls apart and has to be repaired!?!!

Ironically... the people who complain most about money, is people who have or should have had (if they didn't spend it all) money in the first place.

a reply to: flice

I don't think anyone thinks it is bad as much as it is unsustainable. I would imagine that your government has cost overuns and they are hiding them or appropriating funds from other buckets.

It is only a matter of time before it will start falling apart as has been seen time after time.