Underinsured: A Pregnacy Cost blog

Don’t be so quick to write that check

underinsured — Wed, 14 May 2008 14:17:09 +0000

So, here’s an interesting lessen: Don’t pay your hospital bills quickly.

I got a call the other day from the hospital. They offered me a 25% discount on my bill if I paid by the due date (which was in a couple weeks). Of course I said yes.

The baby’s hospital bill really is: $678.62.

Still, this medical billing remains an exercise in silliness. No wonder why doctors and hospitals complain so much about billing. They keep doing silly things to themselves.

The Mother’s Hospital Bill – Caesarian Section

underinsured — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:00:15 +0000

For fun, and before my insurance reduction, here’s the bill for my wife’s caesarian section delivery:

	CPT	Rack	Greedy	Net
	Code	Rate	Markup	Cost
OB/2 Beds		$3,507.00
Pharmacy		$2,018.00
Med/Sur Supplies		$296.00
Non/Ster Supply		$67.00
Sterile Supply		220.00
Laboratory		19.00
Lab/Immunology		326.00
Lab/Hematology		186.00
Anesthesia		329.00
Drugs/Detail Code		500.75
Recovery Room		1,766.00
Labor		1,265.00
Delivery Room		2,737.00
		$13,236.75	TBD	TBD

The Baby’s Hospital Bill

underinsured — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:00:30 +0000

As you will see, my insurance company negotiated a bulk 67% discount on the “rack rate” bill from my hospital. The final level of detail was not itemized.

Again, this is only for the baby. My wife’s care is in another bill.

(In case I don’t get back to posting for a while, the “rack rate” on my wife’s bill is only $13,236.75. And this doesn’t include any doctor’s fees, lab work, etc.)

This a summary level bill. I’ll request an itemized bill in bit (hey, I’m paying for it).

	CPT	Rack	Greedy	Net
	Code	Rate	Markup	Cost
Nursery Level 1		$1,938.00
Pharmacy		75.00
Laboratory		19.00
Lab/Chemistry		147.00
Lab/Immunology		122.00
Blood/Stor-Proc		74.00
Audiology		125.00
Drugs/Detail Code		119.50
Circumcision		139.00
		2,758.50	1,853.67	904.83

We had the baby via C-Section

underinsured — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 19:26:36 +0000

Everyone is fine and doing well. But it’s time to pay the piper. The costs for us are broken out in 2 parts:

1) The Baby

2) The Mother

Because of some exclusions on our insurance policy (more on that later), we have resolved the baby’s portion of the hospital stay. Yes, he is weeks old and already receiving bills. Our cost will be detailed in the following posts.

More Office Visits

underinsured — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:59:06 +0000

Here’s the details:

	CPT	Rack	Greedy	Net
	Code	Rate	Markup	Cost
OB Office Visits #7		160.00	90.00	70.00
OB Office Visits #8		160.00	90.00	70.00
OB Office Visits #9		160.00	90.00	70.00
OB Office Visits #10		160.00	90.00	70.00
OB Office Visits #11		160.00	90.00	70.00
		800.00	450.00	350.00

Top Ten List of things to Buy Before Your Baby’s Birth

underinsured — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 00:00:37 +0000

1. Buy lots of high quality baby bottles. Get same kind so you don’t have to mix and match. If you don’t have dishwasher, get one. Never have a bottle you have to wash by hand–it is inefficient and not environmentally friendly. [Parenting Note: feed a bottle--don't breastfeed--to your baby before bedtime -- since they'll eat more, they'll sleep longer through the night (yes, that could mean you'll have to pump or use formula)]. Same deal when it comes to sippy-cups (and if a sippy cup leaks – toss it out and buy a new one).

2. Create multiple diaper changing stations around you house. Have diapers, wipes, hand sanitizer. Saves time and effort. Don’t be stubborn. Your time is valuable. Act like it is.

3. The Diaper Champ. Really is the champ. Uses “normal” tall kitchen bags so it’s much cheaper in the long run. Doesn’t smell; only have to empty it once a week.

4. Strollers. Invest in a good one if you like to walk a lot. Pay for lighter weight ones as it is a pain to carry them around and lift into the car. Don’t need to spend this. But we had this. For baby #2 we might buy this, even though it is expensive (since Baby #1 will now be walking/strolling to preschool when it is nice outside). Yes we really wore out our first stroller.

5. Swings. Get one. Use it. Love it. Eat without holding the baby.

6. Rocking Chair. Invest in this. You’ll spend nights in it when you child is ill, so make sure it is comfortable. Get a glider, not a rocker.

7. Books. Many books = less insanity for parents. Never, ever, ever buy a “if you take a mouse to…” book.

8. These things. Get a few of em.

9. Outlet malls. Visit often for baby clothes. For example, Carters has the same stuff, only much cheaper.

10. Camera. Get a high quality digital camera like this one, not the brick-sized cheap one you got 4 years age for Christmas. Fast shutter speed is key, as babies change expressions quickly. If it’s small, you can take if everywhere and take lots of pictures. Organize your pictures using myPublisher — beats any homemade baby book.

Office Visits 5 & 6; Glucose Tolerance Testing

underinsured — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 17:37:38 +0000

Through the 28th week or so of the pregnancy; the visits are every two weeks. Here’s the latest bills. Also, we negotiated our rate with the physician doing the c-section. That will be a separate post.

	CPT	Rack	Greedy	Net
	Code	Rate	Markup	Cost
OB Office Visits #5		160.00	90.00	70.00
OB Office Visits #6		160.00	90.00	70.00
Glucose Tolerance 1hr	tbd	63.45	53.45	10.00
Glucose Tolerance 3hr	tbd	114.70	91.70	23.00
		498.15	325.15	173.00

If you are looking for lab tests…

underinsured — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 15:13:21 +0000

Try this site here. Great information on what each test is for. But of course, no information on cost.

Do you have costs to share?

underinsured — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 21:00:04 +0000

If you have found this blog, you probably have costs related to a pregnancy. I would welcome sharing your data with others visiting here too. (yes, there are others, really)

Please, leave a comment below, and we could figure out a way to post more data.

Or, have you found a great article (related to pregnancy costs) that you would share if you had your very own, exciting and rewarding blog about pregnancy costs? Please, leave a comment with a link below.

Or, do you have questions or suggestions? Please leave a comment.

Pregnancy Costs – Current Totals

underinsured — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 21:00:09 +0000

Many people are finding this blog through search terms such as “pregnancy cost of doctors visit.” Welcome to you all.

However, and I can’t say this enough, it’s the lab tests that are really expensive. Plan for those. And btw, your doctor probably has no idea how much they’ll cost you…

[As an aside, when your baby is born, it's the cost of immunizations that are really expensive, not you basic pediatrician 0 to 2 years old office visits. If I get some time, I'll publish some data on that, but not anytime soon.]

So, through 4 office visits, the ultrasound and a bunch of tests:

	Rack	Greedy	Net
	Rate	Markup	Cost
OB Office Visits	640.00	358.00	282.00
20 Week Ultrasound	2,045.00	1,119.00	926.00
Lab Work	1,509.96	680.96	829.00
	4,194.96	2,157.96	2,037.00