How do you feel about medical coverage for pregnancy?

[Aeson]

If the average value of a human life is $6M to $8M and the cost of raising a child to adulthood is $500K, and we expect an average taxation on the value of an individual of ~20%after it's all said and done... then after factoring interest rates and payment schedules...

[DanS]

If the doctor bills $30k, the insurance company pays half of that and the remainder will show up on your insurance statement as "you pay: $20, we saved you $14,980."

It doesn't make any sense, but that's the way it is done in the US. The price is negotiated downward -- or it's something similar to a negotiation.

[Uncle Sparky]

Free in Canada, unless you want an in-house circumcision - that's extra. Circumcision was covered until the early '80s. When it was included, about 80% of Canadian baby boys were circumcised; after hospitals started charging the rate dropped to less than 50%. Canadians love bargains.

[Tupac Shakur]

It's shameful how little Canada seems to care about HIV prevention.

[MikeH]

If you are relying on your genital mutilation to prevent HIV infection

[Tupac Shakur]

It's the second-most effective means of prevention after condoms.

Kids, always make sure you're cut and wrapped before any casual sexual encounter.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

If you are relying on your genital mutilation to prevent HIV infection

Well, it's not just that. He's had his bumhole stitched up too.

[Arrian]

1. Yeah, it should be covered.

2. Normal, no-complications pregnancy -> delivery should not cost $30k.

3. My daughter spent 15 days in the NICU, since she was premature. That bill was $60k.

-Arrian

[OneFootInTheGrave]

Frogs having wings is not something possible to achieve but universal coverage has been achieved in most civilized countries. That's just a fact.

Frogs having wings, however would be perceived as more useful in the US than universal coverage, even if it cost the same. Fact.

It would be called operation Winged Frog Freedom.

[BlackCat]

3. My daughter spent 15 days in the NICU, since she was premature. That bill was $60k.

-Arrian

Ouch, that was not good - though, the bill in this case at least makes some kind of sense.

[Mojotronica]

1. Yeah, it should be covered.

2. Normal, no-complications pregnancy -> delivery should not cost $30k.

3. My daughter spent 15 days in the NICU, since she was premature. That bill was $60k.

-Arrian

$30K is the projected cost of the entire pregnancy, including delivery and all check-ups, tests and scans from week 8 to week 40.

My nephew was a week 27 preemie, his parents bill was $500K, which was mostly covered by charitable organizations and hospital write-offs. He was in the hospital for nearly three months.

[Arrian]

$30K is the projected cost of the entire pregnancy, including delivery and all check-ups, tests and scans from week 8 to week 40.

Hmm. Well considering that back when I last looked (2010), the US average cost for a C-section (not a regular delivery, a C-section) was $10-12k, I find that a little hard to believe. I think that number is high.

Granted, if there are enough cases like ours, then perhaps we're pulling the average up.

-Arrian

[Mojotronica]

It's not an average, it's a projection for a complication-free pregnancy, but includes all exams, appointments, scans, tests, counseling etc plus the actual delivery and a couple of days of in-patient recovery and counseling. It's not just the delivery, it's the holistic cost to give birth in the USA today, all-inclusive. According to my wife's obstetrician.

Or to put it another way, a C-section + all the costs leading up to the birth + whatever the stay in hospital after the birth would cost MORE than $10 - $12K, correct? The cost for a regular birth + (almost*) all the expenses leading up to the birth + whatever the stay in hospital after the birth would be about $30K.

*An example of an optional out of pocket cost is the classes that our hospital offers -- $250 for a couple to take several weeks of classes. That's not included in the $30K figure that I based this thread on.

[DanS]

I think that's "list price." Nobody pays that price, even though the obstetrician might bill it. The insurance company would pay about half that.

[Mojotronica]

Yes, that makes sense, and it is the "quoted" price. I assume that if we were not covered we'd be expected to pay the whole thing. But paying the whole price is for suckers!! Supposedly we'll only have to pay about $3,000, and the insurance company will pay the rest which per your estimate amounts to $15,000. For a grand total of $18,000 to have a baby.