Paying for a hospital tour?

Boonhilde · March 2016

Our hospital charges $15/couple for a L&D tour. We had our other sons at different hospitals and neither time were we asked to pay. It's not THAT much, but it's more about the principle! Is this a normal practice? If it's normal then fine, but if not then wth?

splsmama2016 · March 2016

Ours is free. I think most of the hospitals in my area are free too. That's ridiculous. You probably have to pay to park just to visit, and then on top of that, you'll be paying when you actually HAVE your child.... Ouch.

lynnernon · March 2016

We paid for a childbirth class that had an optional hospital tour at the end, but I think if you just sign up for the tour it's free. I've taken a mix of free and paid classes at our hospital.

goldie987 · March 2016

That's really odd, ours is free. We do have to pay to park at the hospital (I find this really weird since the hospital I grew up around didn't have a pay-to-park system) but it's located in a popular area of a major city so it's not totally out of line.

MeganF08 · March 2016

I had the same experience as @lynnernon - the hospital tour was part of the childbirth class we paid for but I *think* if you do the tour alone it is free. You would think so since you will be paying to give birth there...

AmberLiz99 · March 2016

Weird, I've never heard of that.

kwife15 · March 2016

Yeah that seems somewhat strange. Are there refreshments or a class involved?

GinnyJ2012 · March 2016

Yes that seems weird to me. Ours has a free tour, and free parking but it's not in a popular area. The uptown hospital has paid parking, but will be validated if you're taking a tour or have an appointment. If I had to pay $15 I'd want a cocktail after delivery included!

VikingGirl12 · March 2016

kwife15 said:

Yeah that seems somewhat strange. Are there refreshments or a class involved?

$30?! They better be serving tots at that price.

etr152517 · March 2016

I've never heard of that either. Ours was free

jmohio · March 2016

Just the tour for us is free but they offer classes that include the tour at the end that you have to pay for. We are taking the CPR/Choking class next week and doing the tour tonight.

almostpriceless · March 2016

Our hospital charges for classes, but not for the regular tour. Although, you do get a free breastfeeding class with each tour. They offer information on making a donation because they are non-profit, but there really isn't any pressure. We do have to pay to park, even for my regular appointments, but our Drs office/hospital are located in the Texas Medical Center and you have to pay to park everywhere there. I have already had family members griping because they will have to pay to visit the baby.

likeabel · March 2016

The tours at my hospital are free. They do offer a lot of extra classes that you pay for. Oh and there is free valet parking.

little_bren · March 2016

That's odd. They should be free. I've never heard of one charging. Are they trying to make money or trying to discourage tours? Both seem sketchy.

ahernandez16 · March 2016

Also jumping on the free hospital tour train. What exactly is it that you're paying for when you give them $15?

TNvols27 · March 2016

Same as everyone else, our hospital tour is free but the classes they offer are $10.

MamaNicoleof3 · March 2016

EVERYTHING at our hospital is free- all classes/tours/parking. It's a non-profit, too. Weird.

goldie987 · March 2016

MamaNicoleof3 said:

EVERYTHING at our hospital is free- all classes/tours/parking. It's a non-profit, too. Weird.

Non-profit means nothing. Most colleges in the US are non-profit too, that doesn't mean they don't make a whole heck of a lot of money. I'm delivering at a non-profit hospital and, last I heard, they have 3-4 double rooms and 20+ single rooms in the mom/baby unit despite the fact that insurance will only cover the cheapest room (a double in this case). Everyone who wants a single ends up having to pay the difference of about $300/night because they won't convert the doubles to singles because insurance won't pay out as much as patients will for the singles. Totally profit driven, yet still a totally non-profit hospital. I was really pissed when I found out but it's the only place my OB delivers and I love my practice.

MamaNicoleof3 · March 2016

Sgoldberg247 said:

MamaNicoleof3 said:

EVERYTHING at our hospital is free- all classes/tours/parking. It's a non-profit, too. Weird.

Non-profit means nothing. Most colleges in the US are non-profit too, that doesn't mean they don't make a whole heck of a lot of money. I'm delivering at a non-profit hospital and, last I heard, they have 3-4 double rooms and 20+ single rooms in the mom/baby unit despite the fact that insurance will only cover the cheapest room (a double in this case). Everyone who wants a single ends up having to pay the difference of about $300/night because they won't convert the doubles to singles because insurance won't pay out as much as patients will for the singles. Totally profit driven, yet still a totally non-profit hospital. I was really pissed when I found out but it's the only place my OB delivers and I love my practice.

No, I know. I thought someone else said something about that earlier in the thread. Could be my baby brain sucking the life out of me

lebeauoiseau · March 2016

My hospital requires payment for tours unless you have its affiliated insurance. Maybe yours is like this?

almostpriceless · March 2016

I mentioned the non-profit thing only because they offer information about donations during the tour at our hospital. I don't think it has anything to do with why the tour is free. I suppose it was just a side note.

@Sgoldberg247 that is insane! This is my 3rd baby, and I have a huge family so I've seen a lot of babies in a lot of hospitals, but I have never seen a shared postpartum room. Sharing a room with a stranger during that time sounds like torture.

goldie987 · March 2016

MamaNicoleof3 said:

Sgoldberg247 said:

MamaNicoleof3 said:

EVERYTHING at our hospital is free- all classes/tours/parking. It's a non-profit, too. Weird.

Non-profit means nothing. Most colleges in the US are non-profit too, that doesn't mean they don't make a whole heck of a lot of money. I'm delivering at a non-profit hospital and, last I heard, they have 3-4 double rooms and 20+ single rooms in the mom/baby unit despite the fact that insurance will only cover the cheapest room (a double in this case). Everyone who wants a single ends up having to pay the difference of about $300/night because they won't convert the doubles to singles because insurance won't pay out as much as patients will for the singles. Totally profit driven, yet still a totally non-profit hospital. I was really pissed when I found out but it's the only place my OB delivers and I love my practice.

No, I know. I thought someone else said something about that earlier in the thread. Could be my baby brain sucking the life out of me

Wasn't sure so I figured I would throw that fun tidbit about nonprofits in. I hear people say all the time that something is a nonprofit so it must be reasonably priced and all sorts of other things that have nothing to do with the non-profit status and it irks me. This baby is making me a very irksome person.

PBear93 · March 2016

Our hospital only uses the double rooms when all other rooms are full. They said that they only have to use them a few times a year.

And our our hospital tours are free, as is the parking (they also have free valet).

MamaNicoleof3 · March 2016

@Sgoldberg247- it seems like the general population has no clue what an actual non-profit status means. I've worked for a church for years and people have NO clue.

Mamabraun7911 · March 2016

Both the hospital I had DS at and the hospital were having this LO at we're both free. I also never heard of anyone else paying for a tour either.

cmac827 · March 2016

My birthing center requires a first trimester class/tour and a third trimester class on what to bring and do when in labor, both were free.

Sydvicious08 · March 2016

Ours is free parking and free tour..of course L&D is only 7 rooms...the hospital is very small

HBamama2B · April 2016

I think one I looked at charged, but can't remember which. It was in Manhattan.

Tawny87 · April 2016

almostpriceless said:

I mentioned the non-profit thing only because they offer information about donations during the tour at our hospital. I don't think it has anything to do with why the tour is free. I suppose it was just a side note.

@Sgoldberg247 that is insane! This is my 3rd baby, and I have a huge family so I've seen a lot of babies in a lot of hospitals, but I have never seen a shared postpartum room. Sharing a room with a stranger during that time sounds like torture.

My mom was almost 41 when she was giving birth to my brother (1996) they were told to admit her a double room with a teenage girl and the nurse was like no way! They put another laboring mom who was young in with the teenager and the nurse told my mom come hell or high water she was getting a private room. I guess it paid off to be the "elderly" mom lol!

huskypuppy14 · April 2016

The tour itself at my hospital is free. The childbirth class is 125 dollars and includes the tour though.

Would your insurance cover the cost of the tour? Mine will reimburse me for the childbirth class.

almostpriceless · April 2016

Tawny87 said:

almostpriceless said:

I mentioned the non-profit thing only because they offer information about donations during the tour at our hospital. I don't think it has anything to do with why the tour is free. I suppose it was just a side note.

@Sgoldberg247 that is insane! This is my 3rd baby, and I have a huge family so I've seen a lot of babies in a lot of hospitals, but I have never seen a shared postpartum room. Sharing a room with a stranger during that time sounds like torture.

My mom was almost 41 when she was giving birth to my brother (1996) they were told to admit her a double room with a teenage girl and the nurse was like no way! They put another laboring mom who was young in with the teenager and the nurse told my mom come hell or high water she was getting a private room. I guess it paid off to be the "elderly" mom lol!

I seriously CANNOT imagine. The hours after giving birth are probably the most personal time you will ever experience in your entire life. I'd die.

Boonhilde · April 2016

Thanks for the responses everyone! The website said it was a class. It didn't look like it was a birth class including a tour, it looked like the tour was the class. I'll have to call and get clarification, because it's so weird.

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