Labor and Delivery Prepaid Package?

JessMil10

We just got a magazine from the hospital I delivered at and I have been browsing through it.  On one page they are advertising a Prepaid Package for Prenatal, L&D, and Postpartum care for people without maternity benefits.

For $3,980 you get....

Complete prenatal care/office visits

Labor, birth and hospital care

Two postpartum office visits

There are some conditions. ie. An uncomplicated vaginal birth for a single baby, and other routine procedures.  So.... it does not cover c-section, epidural, ultrasounds... things like that.

 

I have never heard of something like this.

 

Trissie18

I haven't heard of a package being offered by a hospital.  I have heard of dr's offices billing for prepaid services at a set rate for anyone without insurance and you usually have to be paid by X number of weeks prior to delivery. 

Brookie-Cookie

Is this supposed to be a good deal? 

goodtobethelarkster

We had a somewhat similar set up with DD.  They charged a "global fee" for all prenatal visits, labor, delivery, and postpartum care.  Which essentially meant no matter how many times we saw the doctor it cost the same. 

When we were interviewing OB practices we asked them about why they did the global fee and they gave us a schpeel about how it ensures that everyone involved feels like they're getting and giving the care they need for medical (rather than financial) reasons.  If they tell you that you need to come in weekly then it's because you need to come in weekly not because that way they make more money.  And if you feel freaked out, think you're in labor, or whatever then you shouldn't feel like calling would be a bad idea because it'll cost $$$ to get checked. 

Given the semi-hippy nature of the practice I'm sure that's partially true.  But I'm sure it also worked out to the benefit of the insurance companies they were preferred by some how.  Like 95% of their patients had private health insurance.

goodtobethelarkster

Brookie-Cookie:

Is this supposed to be a good deal? 

Sadly, yes. 

yoko589

That's what my dr's office did.  It was a flat fee for everything.

chel1234

Brookie-Cookie:

Is this supposed to be a good deal? 

I'd say yes, since our deductible alone is $2500. Not to mention the 20% we have the pay the hospital.  It would all probably equal that or more in the end.

Brookie-Cookie

I can't even pretend to understand your health care system!

faBriezy

We are small biz owners and youre pretty much out of luck for maternity coverage if you have private insurance in our state. So we did this sort of thing. I did end up with a c/s so that raised the price, but it ended up costing us about 2k for prenatal/postnatal care and about 5k for my c/s. Any care for DS after he was born was covered by insurance. While 7k isnt exactly cheap, you compare that to what the hospitals actually charge insurance companies and its staggeringly lower. We are lucky that both sets of grandparents gave us a chunk of money towards DS's birth and we had 9 months to save so that helped too.

Buckets of Moonbeams

That would be a good deal for me if u/s and epidurals etc. were applied to my deductible.  I think our next baby will cost us about $4750 out of pocket, unless 1) H gets a new job with better insurance or 2) maternity care is a little different.  Otherwise it's a $750 deductible plus $4000 maximum OOP expenditure per family member per year.

JessMil10

I think it is only for those uninsured for maternity costs.  But even if we were not that would be a good deal for us.  Our deductible is $5000.  I am curious what happens if you pay all that and then have to have a c-section or really want an epidural... do they just add the difference?

faBriezy

JessMil10:

I am curious what happens if you pay all that and then have to have a c-section or really want an epidural... do they just add the difference?

In our case, yes. We got a sheet with the breakdown. I think you pre-pay a base fee and then pay for extras after the fact. Extras would be things like an epi or c/s. They didnt charge me extra for things like pain pills or meals.

IckyThump

faBriezy:

JessMil10:

I am curious what happens if you pay all that and then have to have a c-section or really want an epidural... do they just add the difference?

In our case, yes. We got a sheet with the breakdown. I think you pre-pay a base fee and then pay for extras after the fact. Extras would be things like an epi or c/s. They didnt charge me extra for things like pain pills or meals.

My ob's office handles it this way, too. Every month we paid x amount of dollars towards my L&D. I ended up with a c/s, so we were billed for that extra amount later.

Sunny1inTucson

Yes, ours has packages too. People with $$ from south of the border and those without insurance can have their kids here and take advantage of it.

Tucson Medical Center?s Special Delivery Pre-Payment Package provides parents, who do not carry health insurance, a birth package when they plan to have their baby at TMC. The program offers the most comprehensive package in all of Southern Arizona.

The Special Vaginal Delivery Package Pricing is $2,300*. It includes:

• Up to two days stay in the hospital from time of admission
• Medications and supplies for newborn circumcision if requested
• Medications and supplies for Epidural if requested

 

The Special Cesarean Delivery Package Pricing is $4,600*. It includes:

• Up to four days stay in the hospital from time of admission
• Medications and supplies for anesthesia
• Medications and supplies for tubal ligation (if requested)

Please note: If you are planning to have a vaginal delivery but due to clinical reasons require a cesarean delivery, you will be billed for the difference in the program price providing all other qualifiers are met.

These prices are for a normal delivery, without complications to either mother or baby. Physician fees are billed separately and are not included in the package price.

Sunny1inTucson

Oh and I thought this disclaimer was funny on their website. Mainly because I have seen the advertising materials and I definitely thought they seemed to "sell" the idea of citizenship ;-P

From the hospital's website:

NOTE: A story in the Arizona Daily Star completely misrepresented TMC?s use of prepaid packages for some medical services. TMC does NOT market or ?sell? citizenship with maternity packages. Birth citizenship is strictly a matter of federal law.

ashley0616

That's a good deal, actually. Most likely they are like my hospital: waaaay more empty beds than they want to see. So they are advertising that they can give you a deal on these services, you'll know what the costs are up front, etc. in hopes of filling some beds and making some money. Uninsured people are going to hospitals less and less due to costs, which is promting this type of advertising.