Out-of-pocket cost of your pregnancy?

Mommabroad · April 2015

Curious to see what you've paid out of pocket for medical expenses, co-pays, deductibles, labs, tests, etc- a rough estimate of what you expect the post-hospital total to be. Is insurance covering most of it? Stuck with a ton of bills? Anyone's insurance not covering them at all? I live in Spain now and it's been a bit surreal to not have co-pays or "extra" costs after insurance... planning on having #2 back in the states though and I read that most mothers-to-be there spend a few thousand out of pocket on things insurance doesn't cover; since I want to have #2 back home I'm curious to know what your experience has been! Feel free to add details in the comments section if you like on where the costs come from/ country you live in/ anything pertinent. I'm thinking more medical costs not including cost of insurance premium, not cute onesies and strollers

marthaudani · April 2015

I have TRICARE (military medical) and pay no deductibles. The only thing it doesn't provide currently (due to changes of policy in the works) is a breast pump.

scubakate · April 2015

My out of pocket maximum is $3000 but my employer gives us half that in a health savings account so the most we'll pay is $1500. I have flex spending for that amount also so it's like we aren't really paying anything.

HaruhiChan · April 2015

Hmmm my country has medical coverage. So nothing out of pocket aside from prescriptions and vitamins...

Are you counting those costs in your vote?

toddabunny · April 2015

Nothing for me either, I live in the UK so have the NHS, even covers my prescriptions and acid reflux tablets,

Bean32 · April 2015

I believe I got a bill for around $400 with my first, but I can't be positive. If I then add in postpartum things like pads, colace, witch hazel, dermablast, etc, it probably will come to around $500 total.

danibii · April 2015

$300 just for hospital stay, plus copays on visits and medicines puts me in the 500-1000 range- I live in CT, USA

SmrBrd2012 · April 2015

I only had to pay a copay for my first appointment ($15), prenatal scrip ($60), and I've read that delivery costs should be about $200-$250. It really will depend on what insurance you have when you come back.

CateOfChicago · April 2015

It will be a few thousand for my out of pocket max (BCBS PPO). It will completely depend on your insurance plan though. An HMO usually pays for everything but gives you less flexibility and choice. A PPO has more cost but they can vary. I'm not counting the $15k we spent on fertility for this kid alone. Add in other treatments and, ugh, I don't want to think about it.

canadianmom89 · April 2015

Not a whole lot for me, I'm in Canada so I have MSI and health care coverage. The only cost was my insurance only covered a semi-private room so I paid an extra $30 a night to have a private room.

fatlard64 · April 2015

marthaudani said:
I have TRICARE (military medical) and pay no deductibles. The only thing it doesn't provide currently (due to changes of policy in the works) is a breast pump.

Did you try calling tricare about it? I called last week and the lady told me that they will cover the pump if I get a note/persciption from my doctor saying that I'll need a pump for "medical reasons". At first I was confused as to what that meant, but after doing some googling I read medical reasons could range from baby is allergic to formula to mom will be working out of the home and the pump is vital for baby to get nutrients needed in breast milk.

Don't give up. Give them a call. I'm going to ask my doctor about it today at my appointment.

MrsS728 · April 2015

$240 copay for delivery, $15 copay for ultrasounds, $60 (20% of the breast pump cost b/c the company was grandfathered with ObamaCare) and that's it.

Knottie54288128 · April 2015

I've paid about 4000 so far with insurance. I'm a teacher which is a "female dominated field" so our insurance is crap. With my first, I paid absolutely nothing because his dad is Native American so we went through the Indian hospital and had insurance.I didn't realize how much my insurance wouldn't cover, it's insane. I hate American Insurance companies.

uwemi · April 2015

I have BCBS PPO. Deductible is $1500. So far my prenatal visits copay plus deductible is $1600. No idea the cost for hospital but I am responsible for 20% of total hospital bill.

LadyBlood · April 2015

I have TRICARE so I haven't paid a dime for my care. I think the only thing I'll have to pay is for food at the hospital. I'm very fortunate to not have to worry about the insane expense of just physically having a baby.

LadyBlood · April 2015

marthaudani said:
I have TRICARE (military medical) and pay no deductibles. The only thing it doesn't provide currently (due to changes of policy in the works) is a breast pump.

It's been recommended by my midwife to keep your pump receipt just in case tricare is willing to reimburse after they figure out their policy. And upon research, I found an article saying to keep receipts for pumps bought this year cuz they may reimburse at least a portion. It doesn't hurt to at least try.

MrsWhiteToBe · April 2015

My husband was told that our insurance would cover 100% of pregnancy costs, but we've paid over $5,000 because it turns out our insurance only thinks l&d, 2 ultrasounds, and the initial pee test that determines if you're pregnant are necessary costs. Of course they wait until after the doctor performs the other tests to tell us they don't cover it. I hate insurance companies too. My dad used to work for one, and he says they purposely make everything super complicated so people get confused or give up and end up paying more. Even now I'm worried they won't cover things in l&d like "pain management " or "nurses."

seamama525 · April 2015

My insurance is Aetna PPO. I thought I had good insurance but it turns out I have to pay a lot out of pocket. My deductible is $750 and after I pay that I am responsible for 20% of any other bills up to $3k. This started over with the calendar year so even though I met the deductible in the Fall I had to start over again in January. I really loathe insurance!

soontobecapek · April 2015

I've paid $0 personally, but because I'm married and not to baby daddy, he's responsible for $75 for a paternity test plus 1/2 of DS's birth cost. Silly rules.

afidalgo12 · April 2015

All of my prenatal care is covered at 100% by my insurance, and my OB does what is called "Global Billing" which means they do not bill my insurance company until the time of delivery. My deductible is $1,500 so that is the max that I'll pay out of pocket (less a couple of lab fees that were about $30) and is basically for my hospital stay.

stephv18 · April 2015

My provider also doesn't bill to the very end as well. I have a $1500 max out of pocket, however I pay a hefty monthly premium, about 250. I changed insurance half way through my pregnancy and I am so glad I did because my last insurance would have been $6000 max out of pocket.. Even though it would have all evened out in the end...Insurance is ridiculous!

lovelleisgolden · April 2015

TRICARE moms I don't know if your aware but our insurance does allow us to rent breast pumps from the hospital. It's like twenty bucks a month. very nice pumps!

tdart14 · April 2015

I chose under $200. I'm in Canada, so my gas to get to appoints, vitamins, prescriptions, parking fees at the office. I can choose to pay for a private room after birth if the ward is busy and I'm jot by myself already (dd I had sent private unit to myself as they weren't busy) but with insurance that only would cost me $75.

kimmeenoelle · April 2015

I have McLaren health plan and so far I've only paid $30 for an iron prescription. However, me and SO are not married, so not sure how much he's going to have to pay back for the birth.

GoldChristi · April 2015

I have Medi-Cal (California's version of Medicaid). I'm not married to baby daddy and was uninsured when I got pregnant. I'm considered a single mother and I qualified for no share of cost coverage. I pay nothing. All pregnancy related doctors visits, prescriptions (even my vitamins) and vaccines are 100% covered.

I know a lady who has insurance but it doesn't cover pregnancy or prenatal care and she is paying about $10,000 in medical expenses to have her baby. It's outrageous! I can't imagine that financial stress on top of all the life changes and challenges of bringing home a baby.

The US has it's priorities 100% back words.

kjps0528 · April 2015

I'm not completely sure what my out of pocket max is, I'm still under my mom's insurance and it covers way more than mine so I've been using hers. I know she had surgery last feb and after insurance she only ended up paying around $2300 (if I remember correctly) and I only paid the fee for my first four doc appt. ($100 in total) before the max kicked in. Everything else up to the baby's first check up is completely covered.

kjps0528 · April 2015

seamama525 said:
My insurance is Aetna PPO. I thought I had good insurance but it turns out I have to pay a lot out of pocket. My deductible is $750 and after I pay that I am responsible for 20% of any other bills up to $3k. This started over with the calendar year so even though I met the deductible in the Fall I had to start over again in January. I really loathe insurance!

Wow we have Aetna to but my calendar year went off of the open enrollment period August to August.

kateandsiah · April 2015

So for me I am double covered starting in January. This is due to my husbands awesome new insurance with his job that includes a health savings/payment account that covers the deductible. But even before I was covered by that I already racked up about $700-$1000 in expenses. ($1500 would have been max out of pocket if I did not pick up additional insurance, 35% co-insurance after the initial $700 deductible) My best advice is plan your baby ahead of time and make sure you are well covered, or stay in Spain/move to Canada where they really care about bringing a healthy next generation into this world.

Mommabroad · April 2015

Oh, I'm definitely hoping to wait at least a year or two before going through this again! I will be sure to plan accordingly. (But isn't it a strange thing to have to consider before deciding when you want to/ "can" expand your family?? Ugh)

Thank you all so much for the stories, we have such strange insurance companies in the states! I am really beyond astounded at having literally all of my expenses covered this year... especially since when the policy kicked in I was already 8 wks along! I know it would have been a "pre-existing condition" in the states that was exempt. Then after my contract ends in May I have to pay a whooping $70 a month to extend my insurance... um, ok! Of course the job I'm returning to in the states next fall is not offering me health insurance, classic.

Canada and the UK really have it together (as well as you lucky TRICARE ladies!), those are heartening stories! I really hope that the US can make some changes SOON to improve/ extend maternity leave and maternity healthcare coverage for all women, no one should have to pay thousands on top of insurance to have a baby.

brookew86 · April 2015

I have Mississippi Medicaid. Zero cost to me, other than the fact that I've paid for my own OTC vitamins and other things I'll need in the hospital to help me recover faster that the hospital doesn't provide. DH works full-time, I stay home full time with our DD, but we just weren't making enough to cover the hospital/OB-GYN costs associated with it. I was on it when I had our DD too since I had just gone off my parents insurance and fresh out of college without a job yet. I qualified for Medicaid this time based on our income so it all worked out. Granted, it took them forever to approve me and by the time they did I was already 20 weeks along! Haha! Still, it's taken a lot of the stress off since I'm preparing to have my DS and then also put my DD in a cottage school program near the end of the year.

saric83 · April 2015

I chose less than $200, but that's because we upgraded to the best insurance plan, which covers everything 100% after a $100 deductible BUT it's costing us an additional $4000 for the annual coverage, which is still less than the 20% balance we would have had on our hospital bills. Most of my friends in general plan to get about $3000-$5000 bill post-delivery.

smashbaby111 · April 2015

My medical group/insurance does the global billing thing as well... I was told that all prenatal care is covered, but we will see when everything is said and done... I was told by Blue Cross that my hospital stay will be 500/day for up to 3 days... So 1500, gross...

marms1987 · April 2015

I pay 15$ every time I see my dr. and nothing else for any other tests up till now. My Kaiser insurance should cover l&d 100%, but We have some money saved up in case it turns out to be different.

TBsquared · April 2015

I'm in Canada and chose under $200. It would be $0 but I'm doing a water birth so I had to buy a few supplies for that which cost $117.

shinderlea · April 2015

Around 3700. I dont know what else ill be responsible for until after the baby is born. So far that is just 20% of my dr visits, lab bills, and co insurance dedctible for the hospital. We have BCBS.

jennygirlmt · April 2015

We have Aetna PPO. We don't pay any premiums, DHs school pays it all. I have $20 copays on my ultrasounds, one $10 copay at my first prenatal and $20 lab copays. And 100% of the hospital is covered. So we'll pay about $150.

My daughter also has a severe bone marrow failure condition and just had a bone marrow transplant that cost us nothing (granted it's so severe that she qualifies for a supplemental State Medicaid plan as well). So I'm pretty happy with our Aetna plan.

sunnysidexup · April 2015

No copays here, just the flat $500 for as short or long as I stay in the hospital. I live in CA.

khaleesi123 · April 2015

I paid $300 for a boutique ultrasound package but it wasn't necessary I just wanted it. So far that is it I don't have insurance but in Australia we have Medicare (for now) which I think pay gets deducted from your tax return not 100% have never really looked into it

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