How Much Does It Cost To Have A Baby

Welcoming a new bundle of joy into the world is not cheap. So how much does it cost to have a baby? In the United States, if there are no complications and a standard room is used, the average cost is $10,808, according to the International Federation of Health Plans.

Being a father of four grown children, I have been asked how much does it cost to have a baby? My daughter cost me about $400 dollars – but that was because she had to be admitted back into the hospital. The next two, both boys, were under $400 each. With my last son, that was about $1o00. Most of those differences were due to variations in the insurance I had at the time.

At the time I am writing this, I have two of my children with new children on the way. (I am finally going to be a grandfather!) But I can’t help but ask “How Much Does It Cost To Have A Baby?”

With the drastic changes in the insurance being offered today from when my kids were born, the out of pocket costs to have a child today has risen to an average of $4500 with insurance. This is number is understandable when you consider that most insurances have an average deductible of over $2500, and a Maximum Out Of Pocket of over $5000. Having a child can easily cost $4000 or more out of pocket even with insurance.

Yet many people do not realize that there are programs available which can, for the proverbial “cost of a cup of coffee” a day, cover $6300 or more of these costs when little Johnny or Suzy bring those smiles into your life.

Cost Of Giving Birth In USA With Insurance

According to Businessinsider.com, the average cost of childbirth with insurance in the USA is around $10818 for normal delivery and can run upwards to $30,000 Cesarean or C-section. Many insurance carriers in the marketplace use an example price of $12700.

As an example, we will use the insurance carriers’ numbers that they have given in their documents to a client. Let’s call her Peg. Peg is going to have a new baby. Her insurance has a $2500 deductible, a $50/visit specialist copay and a 30% copay on everything else up to a maximum out of pocket cost of $7900. This plan will cover the following items:

Prenatal Visits (These visits are as a specialist)
Childbirth / Delivery Specialists Cost
Childbirth / Delivery Facility Cost
Diagnostic Tests (Ultra-sounds / bloodwork)
Specialist visits (anesthesia)

Cost Of Childbirth With Insurance Figures

In the provided example from the insurance carrier, a cost of $12700 is used. So how much will it cost Peg out of pocket?

Start with the deductible, Peg will have to pay the first $2500. That leaves a balance of $10200. From this Peg has to pay 30% which is equal to $3060. Add to that the cost of the specialist’s visits at $50 per visit. Assuming 1 billed visit to each and you have another $100. Peg will have to pay a total of:

Deductible $2500
Copayments $3060
Specialist $ 100
Total $5660

Many working parents do not have $5660 sitting around for a new baby. Now let’s adjust the cost to having a child to the national average of $10818 and look to see how these numbers work. So how much will it cost Peg?

Again, starting with the deductible, Peg will have to pay $2500. That leaves a balance of $8308. From this Peg has to pay 30% which is equal to $2493. Add to that the cost of the specialist’s visits at $50 per visit. Assuming 1 billed visit to each and you have another $100. Peg will have to pay a total of:

Deductible $2500
Copayments $2493
Specialist $ 100
Total $5093

Today, many deductibles are higher than the $2500 used here. This only raises the amount needed out of pocket.

The Cost Of Giving Birth In The USA Without Insurance

They say that cash is king and all that, but when it comes to the cost of giving birth in the USA without insurance, the savings are not as big. Typically only about $1500 to $1800. The price you will pay depends upon the state you are in, but the average price is about $9100 vs the cost of childbirth with insurance at $10818.

How much does it cost to have a baby? If you add an Out Of Pocket Protection plan, it may not be much. Think about it. If the cost of giving birth in the USA with insurance is $4500 to $6350, you can have that covered for under a dollar a day. If the cost of giving birth in the USA without insurance is $9100, then you can cut that cost to around $2850 just by adding the Out Of Pocket Protection.

Here is the good news! There is help!

If you are planning on having a child or children in the future, there is a low-cost plan that can help you with the out of pocket expenses. This small insurance policy from Manhattan Life can help you a lot. It’s called Out Of Pocket Protection. It works with any insurance program or for those with no insurance. Many individuals are nor aware of this low cost insurance plan that can help them tremendously. It is designed to cover this insurance “gap” in coverage that most people have. It works for anyone but is especially useful when planning on having a child.

Rates are dependant on location and your age. You can get coverage that will pay $6350 for a 24 hour or longer stay in the hospital, and then additional benefits for each day you are in there. This insurance plan helps pay deductibles and copayments. You have a choice of benefits and premiums. What is the best part is that the benefits are paid directly to you unless you assign them to the doctor or the hospital. These funds can be used to help with hospital bills and out-of-pocket costs. This policy will pay you in addition to any of your other insurance and workers’ compensation.

An Important Note

As a word of caution, this insurance does not cover a “pre-existing” condition for the first 12 months. For planning to have a child, the “conception” date from the doctor is used. This means you can not be pregnant at the time of starting the insurance.

Out Of Pocket Protection

First,

the benefits are paid in a lump sum directly to you.

Second,

you get a Daily Inpatient Hospital Confinement Benefit and you may choose a daily inpatient benefit of either $100 a day or $200 a day. (I recommend the $200 a day as it is usually only a dollar or so more a month.) If you are confined in a hospital as a resident inpatient, this will pay the daily inpatient benefit you select for up to 10 days per hospital confinement. This is paid each time you are confined to the hospital.

Third,

there is a First Hospital Admissions paid once a year. You may choose an admission benefit of either $2,500, $5,000, or $6,350. If you are admitted to a hospital as a resident inpatient then you will be paid the Hospital Admission Benefit you selected. Please note that this benefit is not payable for the treatment of Mental/Nervous Disorders and Substance Abuse.

Fourth,

it will pay for up to 2 doctor visits a year at $50 per visit.

Fifth,

as an option, you can add the Outpatient Surgery Benefit is available. This is payable up to 2 times per year. For this, you can choose a daily benefit of either $1,000, $2,000, or $3,000. Please note that for surgical services rendered in an Ambulatory Surgical Center or Outpatient Hospital Facility, the amount paid is shown on the Schedule of Benefits for the Outpatient surgery performed.

Sixth,

you can add the Emergency Accident Benefit which will pay up to 4 times per year the amount of $250. This is if you should sustain an injury that requires emergency care by a physician. The amount paid to you will be the actual expenses incurred up to the amount per treatment you receive in a hospital outpatient emergency room or urgent care facility. The treatment must be received within 72 hours of the injury.

I checked the cost and if you are a female, 29 years old in Georgia – seeing we are talking about having a child, the cost without the Outpatient Surgery Benefit was $25.19/month. You can get your own quote on how to save on out of pocket medical costs here.

What determines the rates for this insurance plan are where you live and the issue age, so the younger you are when you get it, the less expensive it will be. The benefits reset every year. Consider whether you would rather pay a small amount a month or $4500 or more.

Get You Quote To Save On Out Of Pocket Medical Costs

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