American Way of Birth, Costliest in the World (New York Times)
From 2004 to 2010, the prices that insurers paid for childbirth — one of the most universal medical encounters — rose 49 percent for vaginal births and 41 percent for Caesarean sections in the United States, with average out-of-pocket costs rising fourfold, according to a recent report by Truven that was commissioned by three health care groups. The average total price charged for pregnancy and newborn care was about $30,000 for a vaginal delivery and $50,000 for a C-section, with commercial insurers paying out an average of $18,329 and $27,866, the report found.
Women with insurance pay out of pocket an average of $3,400, according to a survey by Childbirth Connection, one of the groups behind the maternity costs report. Two decades ago, women typically paid nothing other than a small fee if they opted for a private hospital room or television.
This is essential reading today.
Having a baby won’t just put you in debt; it could cripple you financially.
There’s a disconnect here that goes way beyond astonishing. Political and social conservatives across the country want to ban abortion and drastically limit or extinguish sex education and the availability of birth control.
Sex ed? Nope. Condom distribution? Nope. Plan B? Nope. Abortion? Nope.
Sounds to me like a prescription for a skyrocketing maternity rate.
So why aren’t conservatives rallying to do something about the skyrocketing cost of having a baby? Who’s going to take the lead on this?
Palin? Huckabee? Bachmann? Perry? Rubio? Cruz? Paul? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?
Woke up this morning ... 
When it comes to “doing something”, you can figure a resounding NO from all of the aforementioned. Kids, to them, are soooo important in the womb, but once they are born they forget all about them.
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I am still contesting items on the bill from Liam’s birth 5 months ago- the total was about $11k, though insurance covered most of it. However, I was at the hospital for only 28 minutes before he was born, not long enough to even register. So far I’ve found that my insurance was billed for an ultrasound I didn’t have, and a few other “routine” tests. Not to mention the unnecessary weekly ultrasounds and non-stress tests that I had weekly for the last six weeks of the pregnancy- my fluid was a little low, and everything else was perfect, they just wanted to “be sure”. When it’s your first kid and you want everything to be ok, it’s hard to say no!
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I did say no! I was paying out of pocket. I was 21 and an idiot, but I straight-up could not afford $900 ($900!!) a week for ultrasounds. My first kid was born during my junior year of college, and she cost more than my first three years of school. Oh, well! You get what you pay for!
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Many tears ago 1st born was a boy, born at the hospital where Daddy went to medical school. when we got the bill we were in shock. Dad was a resident making $90 a month. there were no savings cause Mommy had to stop teaching at end of 3rd month. So she lied so she could work an extra month. When Dad asked for dispensation he was told NO. We paid up somehow. but made no contributions to the medical school until we felt that amount had been satisfied.
Sent from my iPad
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