The Forbidden

I try really hard not to talk about finances here.  If there is one subject guaranteed to make me angry when other people discuss it with me, it's finances.  I'm having enough blood pressure issues without adding that problem.

But, my sister-in-law asked how much I thought the hospital bill for having the Berrykin would be, and I honestly didn't know.  I asked for estimates from a few friends when I was first pregnant, researched it, but never really felt satisfied with the answer.  Hospitals and insurance vary, after all, not to mention I'm the only person in my age sphere I know who's had a c-section.  Personally, I think it's something close to criminal how much we're charged for healthcare (even knowing all the arguments for it; that doesn't mean I necessarily agree with going socialized, but that's digressing) when no one is required to post their fees.  Billing departments won't give you a ballpark estimate, and they require specific codes to be used in order to get the exact figure.  Some doctors won't give you the codes unless they actually order the tests/procedures.  I was supposed to get a CT scan in Florida for my sinuses, but I needed to know how much they would cost first because I didn't have insurance.  I never found out, and never got it done, resulting in feeling miserable the entire time we were there (ditto allergy tests).  Now that I have insurance, I know how much of what they'll pay and how much I'm responsible for as a percentage.  But that does me no good without knowing how much the hospital is going to charge.  That's just for the base fee.  Then there's the possibility of complications.  I like to plan ahead, know what I'm getting myself into.  My research indicated I'd likely owe somewhere between $3000-5000 after insurance, everything together (I don't recall if that included prenatal care or not).

So, I hate discussing money because it inevitably leaves me extremely angry.  As I'm already angry and would prefer to put the info out there in case some random person manages to find the post in a search while they're trying to find out how much to expect to pay, here it is.

My hospital bill before insurance (includes c-section, recovery room, drugs, supplies, and lab work, but not the doctor's fees): $30,820.
I was given $1000 worth of iv fluids.  $7000 worth of antibiotics, anesthetics, and various other drugs.  $1300 was spent on supplies.  My labs cost $5600.  The delivery room (for c-section) was about $9000, and room and board outside of that was $6750 for seven days.  How much of that is because of that pesky infection AFTER delivering?  Probably...mmm...probably around $10,000.

My hospital bill after insurance: $4591.
That's just for the hospital.  So far, I've got the anesthesiologist's bill, which is about $500 after insurance ($4000-5000 before).  I haven't gotten the bill from my OB yet.  I know the bill for the baby is about $5000, but I don't know how much it'll be after the insurance is worked out.  That's not including pediatrician work, I don't think. (EDIT: I got the OB bill today.  That's an extra $500, which is less than I expected.)

So right now, without ped bills, I'm at somewhere around $7500 out of pocket, I think.
I'm not saying socialized healthcare is good or anything, but I know a woman in Ireland who had a baby in May.  Her out of pocket bill for all care and a long delivery?  $0.  Just sayin'.