Pregnant women say health care providers are billing them to deliver their babies earlier than expected. Patient advocates say that's unethical.

Summary

Some women are being asked to prepay for their baby, a practice that is legal but considered unethical by patient advocacy groups.

The practice is driven by the high cost of maternity care and the way it is billed in the U.S., where bundled billing has become outdated.

Critics say this exacerbates maternity care inequities, with families left to navigate unclear costs and insurance complexities amid rising healthcare expenses.

  • catloaf@lemm.eeEnglish
    717·
    19 hours ago

    Asking them to prepay “is another gut punch,” she said. “What if you don’t have the money? Do you put it on credit cards and hope your credit card goes through?”

    I’m gonna be that guy: if you can’t handle an unexpected $1k bill, even by putting it on credit or setting a payment plan, you can’t afford to be having a kid.

    More on topic, if $960 is the full cost out of pocket for the whole delivery process, that seems pretty cheap to me. (Really healthcare should be socialized, but we’re not there yet.)

    • adarza@lemmy.caEnglish
      151·
      18 hours ago

      a lot more than $1k

      We find that health costs associated with pregnancy, childbirth, and post-partum care average a total of $18,865 and the average out-of-pocket payments total $2,854 for women enrolled in large group plans.

      …

      These costs are more than many families can afford. Roughly one third of multi-person households and half of single-person households would not have the liquid assets needed to cover typical out-of-pocket costs associated with pregnancy and childbirth in private health plans.

      from this kff study

    • Sidyctism2@discuss.tchncs.de
      91·
      17 hours ago

      I’m gonna be that guy: if you can’t handle an unexpected $1k bill, even by putting it on credit or setting a payment plan, you can’t afford to be having a kid.

      take that dumb poor morons with clearly planned pregnancies!

      • catloaf@lemm.eeEnglish
        7·
        16 hours ago

        Which is also why we should socialize sex ed, birth control, and abortions. They’re all part of healthcare.

    • Spacehooks@reddthat.comEnglish
      111·
      18 hours ago

      Shame ppl are against bc and are forced birthers. 17$ a month I pay for bc way cheaper than kid.

      • NatakuNox@lemmy.world
        91·
        17 hours ago

        Right! Not only can rapist in red states pick the mother of their child. They now stick them with the hospital bills… I mean that’s always been the case in pro rapist states but they are making it official now.

        • Spacehooks@reddthat.comEnglish
          11·
          16 hours ago

          Women ask for it just by showing ankle. -worst humans on the planet

          Would be a shame I’d something terrible happened to them. I certainly would not say guilty if I was juror because murder implies they are better than a mosquito.

    • IninewCrow@lemmy.caEnglish
      9·
      19 hours ago

      $1,000 to give birth is just the start of the payment process to having a child

      Last I read, on average to raise a child with the most basic requirements to give it a decent life in North America to the age of 18, the estimate was about $200,000 - $300,000 … that was about 20 years ago I read that, it’s probably way more now.

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
      21·
      13 hours ago

      Someone better let the “your body, my choice” crowd know.

      Oh wait, they’ll be able to get out of child support now.