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In "normal" cases, roughly, 500 USD or less if you have insurance. But it's really awfully complicated -- often the baby gets a separate bill too to muddle the
by chx 9y ago
In "normal" cases, roughly, 500 USD or less if you have insurance.
But it's really awfully complicated -- often the baby gets a separate bill too to muddle the waters. The ACA ("Obamacare") set a cap on in-network yearly out of pocket payments on family plans which, if memory serves, was around 11k in 2017. A complicated birth can hit this! Consider the costs of NICU, for example. (Oh and if an NICU nurse reads this: thank you, thank you, thank you for the life of my niece.)
As to what the insurers pays, I do not know.
- smcl 9y agoThe baby gets a bill?
- chx 9y agoYES! I haven't the luck to this because I am Canadian (actually, Canadian-Hungarian) but I heard from my friends across the border and read the stories. For eg. https://community.babycenter.com/post/a46638358/insurance_issue_baby_billed_separately https://community.babycenter.com/post/a46638358/insurance_is...
- ubernostrum 9y agoFor services provided to the baby, yes. The expectation is that the baby will be added to the insurance plan effective as of birth, so it's correct to bill services provided to the baby as... services provided to the baby.
- smcl 9y agoOh I understand how the situation arises ... but billing a baby for being born is never going sound normal to me.
- TomMarius 9y agoI think it's not the birth itself, it's the post-birth services.
- Symbiote 9y agoTo most Europeans, billing a child is never going to seem normal. And that includes dental and optical treatments. Braces and glasses are free, at least the basic type. (I've generalized all of Europe; there may be exceptions in some countries.)
- alxlaz 9y agoAm European, can confirm. The idea that the first thing a kid gets in this world is a bill for healthcare services is amusing in a chilly sort of way. I mean, it's not like the poor kid had a choice in the matter of whether he's born or not. What happens if the parents can't afford it? Does he, like, get to go back in until the parents pay? If he had an ailment, and it got cured, do they give it back to him? Do they put him in suspended animation :-)?
- TomMarius 9y agoIt's the same in Europe though. The hospital will send a bill to the insurance company (usually there is one default and you can switch your children to another any time) in the name of the child.
- Symbiote 9y agoThere is no "insurance company" in Britain or Denmark, the two countries I've been/am eligible for state healthcare as a resident. I've never seen any paperwork in either country regarding billing or other costs, and that's as an adult.
- TomMarius 9y agoYes, the paperwork is hidden from you, but its present, the hospital still needs a way to obtain funds from NHS, see: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthcare_in_England https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthcare_in_England - "The National Health Service (NHS) is free at the point of use for the patient though there are charges associated with eye tests, dental care, prescriptions, and many aspects of personal care." Please note that you basically listed two exceptions (plus other Nordic companies), most of EU countries have a system that combines private insurance companies with a combination of public, semi-public and completely private health providers.
- Naritai 9y agoIt's for the pediatrician's services. Remember, Babies generally stay in the hospital for 48-72 hours after birth, and they get visited and tested by doctors and nurses during that time, not to mention vaccines, care in the nursery, etc... it actually makes a lot of sense that the baby be considered the patient.
- smcl 9y agoYou are missing the reason I'm surprised and amused - and I'm really not sure how much clearer I can be here. It's not that healthcare services themselves are charged. The baby is billed. Like a letter with the little transparent window with the name and address of a couple-of-days old child is sent. If you cannot see why that seems weird, shocking, amusing ... whatever then I don't know what else I can tell you.
- germanier 9y agoThe first letter you got after a birth in Germany used to read something like this and is addressed to the newborn (hopefully they have changed it by now): Regarding: Assignment of the Tax ID according to § 139b of the tax code Dear <name of the newborn>, the Federal Central Tax Office has assigned you the Tax ID <number>. It is used for taxation purposes and valid your whole life. Please keep this letter even if you are currently not paying any taxes. Always mention your Tax ID when communicating with financial authorities. Please also note the information on the back. Kind regards, your Federal Central Tax Office
- mathgeek 9y agoThe bill is addressed to the parent(s), most commonly. It just lists the child as the patient.
- partycoder 9y agoThe baby is a patient too. In fact, it is not rare to have a baby referred to as "the patient".
- grahamburger 9y agoThe baby doesn't 'get a bill' in the sense that I think you are suggesting (based on this on your comments down thread.) The parents get a bill with line items listed for services provided for the baby.
- ensiferum 9y agoFirst the baby gets a bill, then they can also open a bank account and start saving for their university tuitions and future home loan.
- baldeagle 9y agoEach person tends to have a max yearly limit. By billing the baby separately, the yearly max for the mom and the baby can be hit (or the family max). This is especially important as the mom may have already received a good amount of charges leading up to the birth.