Prepaying Hospital Bill for Delivery

[swrc00]

This has become the norm at the hospital where I am delivering. I preregistered in December and haven't been contacted about prepaying. Since I am due soon I called and guess what I need to pay $1200 before delivery. I am so irritated. :32:Every one I know has gotten a letter or a phone call with the estimated amount.

It is not that I am surprised, but did they think I was just going to walk in the door and pay that while I am in labor. I said that I would need a bill prepared, so I can submit it to flexible spending and then would pay it. She said they can't do that until "the procedure" is completed. I am so frustrated. It would be one thing if I had known for awhile what the bill would be, but I am due in two weeks. We just shelled out almost $2000 to fix a plumbing issue. My maternity leave is largely unpaid and I really don't like shelling out this kind of money so quickly.

Sorry for the rant!

[abh5e8]

hmm...i mean, if you show up in labor they can't refuse you. so then you could work payment issues out afterwards, right?

[swrc00]

hmm...i mean, if you show up in labor they can't refuse you. so then you could work payment issues out afterwards, right?

This is exactly what I am thinking.

[SnuggleBuggles]

That stinks. I only had to pay $300 but that was ages ago.

[mommyoftwo]

My husband is a doctor. I read your post to him and he said that it is illegal for a hospital to turn away someone who is in labor. He said just show up and they will have to deal with it. You can set up a payment plan after your delivery.

[swrc00]

My husband is a doctor. I read your post to him and he said that it is illegal for a hospital to turn away someone who is in labor. He said just show up and they will have to deal with it. You can set up a payment plan after your delivery.


I figured that was true. It is not about having the money, as much as that I know this has become a common practice for this hospital. I know it has created undue stress for many families. Thanks for your response.

mommmyoftwo - I love your kiddo's names!

[Neatfreak]

I am surprised that they expect people to pre-pay without being issued an invoice, actually.

[klwa]

At our hospital, they didn't "pre-bill", but we WERE expected to pay their estimated charges before release. Which is why today, a mere 4 months after delivery, I had to deposit a check for $300+ because they misfigured. This is the second check I've gotten from them as they've gone through trying to get the insurance, etc. straightened out. I wish they had just waited until everything was completed and THEN billed me, like the hospital DS was born at!

[jennilynn]

I've never had a hospital birth (planning our third homebirth) but my midwives require we prepay by the 36th week, I believe. I actually prefer it that way because I don't want to receive a big bill when I'm home with the new baby on maternity leave, making less money than I was pregnant. Never heard of a hospital doing it this way, though.

[edurnemk]

I am surprised that they expect people to pre-pay without being issued an invoice, actually.

That's the way it was were I delivered DD, I was surprised as well, I paid and didn't get a statement until after DD was born. The price for the delivery package is significantly lower if you pre-pay though.

[tabegle]

Ugh, I hope that's not the way these things are going to go.

I remember with DS I got a letter from the hospital asking my to prepay $100 of my expenses I hadn't yet incurred. I thought that was absurd! I tossed it. I got a second letter requesting prepayment again. That also went in the trash.

I was sure they'd loose my money before it was ever applied to my account. Or, as has happened with dr visits, the balance of the bill would be sent to insurance instead of the whole amount.