Sticker shock on medical bills

DaisyKD · August 2011

I knew it was gonna cost a lot of money to have the baby, but I had to call insurance about a bill today and talked in length about our benefits, and it looks like for me it's going to cost $1000 deductible and up to $4500 out of pocket (I have to pay 80% for anything after the deductible, and you know how hospital bills add up). Then the baby will have his own deductible and $4500 maximum depending on what the hospital charges are.

I know it will all be worth it when the little bundle of joy arrives, and we have a savings account to cover the expenses, but I think I'm gonna need to try to stick to a little more of a budget from now on!!!

EveryNameIWantIsTaken · August 2011

Yeah, with ds we ended up paying about $4000 oop once all was said and done. That covered hospital, my doctor and anestesioligist (i know I screwed up that spelling big time) for prenatal care, hospital care, c-section, and post-natal care. If I remember correctly, ds was still covered under me while actually in the hospital.

Kids are expensive, there is no way around it.

iluvmylab · August 2011

I changed my insurance will will take effect Sept. 1 and run through the end of August. I got the most expensive plan because even with the higher premium, the OOP and ded. is so cheap, we will still save over $1500. DH has open enrollment in October, so on Jan. 1, I will be on my DHs plan and will cancel mine. Worked the system on that one!

Question: Why does the LO have a separate ded? Won't the baby be considered part of a "family" plan which has one ded?

mrsfowler1016 · August 2011

This post freaks me out. I don't even want to think about it.

Ricola · August 2011

I hear you! We just switched insurances and are now on a HSA plan with a $3k deductible per person (or $6k family). If our little one decides to come in January instead (totally possible with a due date of 12/27), it will be quite expensive for us. Thankfully the insurance pays 100% after the deductible is met.

DaisyKD · August 2011

actually now that I think about it, I didn't specify if while the baby was in the hospital initially he would be under my plan. I just asked mostly about follow-up care (Dr. visits, etc.). That would be nice if he was just under mine cause if we reached my OOP max then we wouldn't have to pay more, I'm going to check into that.

DaisyKD · August 2011

Ricola:
I hear you! We just switched insurances and are now on a HSA plan with a $3k deductible per person (or $6k family). If our little one decides to come in January instead (totally possible with a due date of 12/27), it will be quite expensive for us. Thankfully the insurance pays 100% after the deductible is met.

That's pretty good that they pay the 100% after the deductible. Hopefully the baby will come on or before 12/31 (for tax purposes too!!!)

indomesticbliss · August 2011

DaisyKD:

I knew it was gonna cost a lot of money to have the baby, but I had to call insurance about a bill today and talked in length about our benefits, and it looks like for me it's going to cost $1000 deductible and up to $4500 out of pocket (I have to pay 80% for anything after the deductible, and you know how hospital bills add up). Then the baby will have his own deductible and $4500 maximum depending on what the hospital charges are.

I would double check this. You have 30 (or 31) days to add yor LO to your policy and every time I have dealt with an insurance company (we are on our 3rd company for pregnancy care) your LO will be covered under your policy until then. (IE: billed under your deductible)

Also, get it in writing. We have had MANY instances where a c/s person for our insurance says one thing, but we are billed differently-different percentages, different coverage terms, etc...

Without our premiums (which were $550 monthly) it cost us over $8500 to have our LO last year, plus we had medical expenses after with illnesses (DH's office policy SUCKS but was our only option). We looked into a private HSA this year and while it is an after tax payment, we are at $425/month for premiums and 3k out of pocket total, which is a huge difference. Maybe after LO is born, a different policy, if any are available, might be better for your family? Just a suggestion!

tessylynn6 · August 2011

this helps me too. i'm covered under my employers insurance but my hubby, DD, and future DD will be under a separate policy. it'd be SO nice if the baby is covered under my plan while at the hospital!

EveryNameIWantIsTaken · August 2011

tessylynn6:
this helps me too. i'm covered under my employers insurance but my hubby, DD, and future DD will be under a separate policy. it'd be SO nice if the baby is covered under my plan while at the hospital!

They should be. I've never seen one that isn't. In fact, I just talked with my insurance today and the lady said that the baby is covered under me for 30 days, then if we want it added to our plan, just talk with dh's hr department in that time to get it added.

jmccray789 · August 2011

The costs definitely add up -- they already have been for the prenatal care and lab work =/ DH and I were also sort of surprised and dismayed by the fact that we'll be paying an extra $400 fee just to have our son circumcised. Seems like an awful lot for such a common gender-specific procedure.

shanabonner · August 2011

Ricola:
I hear you! We just switched insurances and are now on a HSA plan with a $3k deductible per person (or $6k family). If our little one decides to come in January instead (totally possible with a due date of 12/27), it will be quite expensive for us. Thankfully the insurance pays 100% after the deductible is met.

I am in the same boat. Min has a 4000 out of pocket maixmum and a 2500 deductable per person and I am due December 30th!! I am really hoping he comes early so that I dont have to start paying that deductable all over again. Come the 26th I may be begging for an induction.

indomesticbliss · August 2011

jmccray789:
The costs definitely add up -- they already have been for the prenatal care and lab work =/ DH and I were also sort of surprised and dismayed by the fact that we'll be paying an extra $400 fee just to have our son circumcised. Seems like an awful lot for such a common gender-specific procedure.

re: circing, make sure you get the quote for hospital AND practitioner. We had a double bill-one by the hospital for use of space and materials, one by the Dr. for time, total circ cost after insurance, $650.

robynlynn83 · August 2011

With DD3 we paid over $13,000 out of pocket before it was all said and done...and we have good insurance Hmm

This time, I should owe 0 for delivery because I accumulated $4500 in bills from the first 20 weeks of the pregnancy

indomesticbliss · August 2011

robynlynn83:

With DD3 we paid over $13,000 out of pocket before it was all said and done...and we have good insurance

This time, I should owe 0 for delivery because I accumulated $4500 in bills from the first 20 weeks of the pregnancy

Same boat, but it was before I had my first appointment (Anders was one expensive kid this spring!)

Except, I have a feeling I will deliver on 1/1-due 12/29 (or I will be the "OMG, 1st baby born in 2012!!!" person on the news) and get to hit the 3k again. Joy.

Madringal · August 2011

indomesticbliss:
robynlynn83:

With DD3 we paid over $13,000 out of pocket before it was all said and done...and we have good insurance

This time, I should owe 0 for delivery because I accumulated $4500 in bills from the first 20 weeks of the pregnancy

Same boat, but it was before I had my first appointment (Anders was one expensive kid this spring!)

Except, I have a feeling I will deliver on 1/1-due 12/29 (or I will be the "OMG, 1st baby born in 2012!!!" person on the news) and get to hit the 3k again. Joy.

My Dr.'s office keeps telling me about going past 12/31 (I am due 12/30) and starting my deductible all over again. Luckily, my insurance dates are from April 1st -March 30th, so I don't have to worry about it, but for some reason they don't seem to pay attention to me when I say that.

indomesticbliss · August 2011

Madringal:
indomesticbliss:
robynlynn83:

With DD3 we paid over $13,000 out of pocket before it was all said and done...and we have good insurance

This time, I should owe 0 for delivery because I accumulated $4500 in bills from the first 20 weeks of the pregnancy

Same boat, but it was before I had my first appointment (Anders was one expensive kid this spring!)

Except, I have a feeling I will deliver on 1/1-due 12/29 (or I will be the "OMG, 1st baby born in 2012!!!" person on the news) and get to hit the 3k again. Joy.

My Dr.'s office keeps telling me about going past 12/31 (I am due 12/30) and starting my deductible all over again. Luckily, my insurance dates are from April 1st -March 30th, so I don't have to worry about it, but for some reason they don't seem to pay attention to me when I say that.

Ugh, I'm jealous...we are a 1/1 plan...blerg

anne.ortego · August 2011

Talk to your doctor. I don't know what your's is like, but since I'm due on 12/30, and my company is changing insurance providers on 1/1, she told me that she can induce at 39 weeks if I'd like to make sure that we are out of the hospital before 1/1.

EMOmamma · August 2011

DaisyKD:

I knew it was gonna cost a lot of money to have the baby, but I had to call insurance about a bill today and talked in length about our benefits, and it looks like for me it's going to cost $1000 deductible and up to $4500 out of pocket (I have to pay 80% for anything after the deductible, and you know how hospital bills add up). Then the baby will have his own deductible and $4500 maximum depending on what the hospital charges are.

I know it will all be worth it when the little bundle of joy arrives, and we have a savings account to cover the expenses, but I think I'm gonna need to try to stick to a little more of a budget from now on!!!

(lurking) This can happen if the baby ends up in the NICU. My son was in the NICU for a week and his charges exceeded $50000 - we ended up paying the max OOP + deductible for both me and him, so yeah, it was over $10000 out of our savings.

And LO is covered under you for 30 days but once you add him all of his charges are retroactively charged towards him, not you.

Sidenote - if you end up claiming med expenses on your taxes it goes on the year that the expense was paid - not the year the medical procedure happened. (ie - if your baby is born in Dec. 2011 but you don't pay your med bills until Jan. 2012 you can't claim those expenses on your 2011 taxes).

jhalula · August 2011

Wow, I am so glad that I work for a hospital and have their insurance. As long as LO and I are discharged together, I will only have to pay 1 $300 deductible. If he is discharged after me however, he will have a separate $300 deductible. Everything else is covered at 100%. My prenatal care has only cost me $20.00 so far.. I only get charged 1 copay on my OB for the entire pregnancy and the other $10.00 was the first set of lab work. I may get a bill from MFM for the ultrasound yet and then the rest of the lab work, but we should definitely be under the $500 mark for the entire pregnancy. Now to figure out which classes I want to take as that will definitely be all me. Good luck ladies!

Tash2315 · August 2011

Oh my goodness! Makes me thankful for really good insurance thru work - $200 family deductible, and once that's met there are no more out of pocket costs! Yikes!

HaleyCinTX · August 2011

mrsfowler1016:
This post freaks me out. I don't even want to think about it.

THIS! I have been able to pay as I go with my Specialty OBGYN (who I have seen for my genetic testing, etc.) But my reg OBGYN who I see each month, it always makes me nervous when I walk out without paying a DIME - no co-pay or anything (also doing an HSA). I can just hear the cha-ching of the dollar signs adding up and DREAD getting that final bill Ick!

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