I almost had a breakdown after my son was born, and it wasn't due to new-mom anxiety. Despite having "great" health insurance, my husband and I were handed more than $5,000 in hospital bills.
As if the price tag wasn't painful enough, the invoices trickled in over the span of nine months. We'd scramble to pay off a large bill and—bam!—another one would arrive in the mail that was due in two weeks.
I tried to fight a few of the more outrageous ones, like the $800 bill for "blood" since I never had a blood transfusion. I was laughed at by a hospital administrator—she told me that I'd never be able to successfully get rid of the charge, that we were billed because the hospital had blood "in case" I needed it...but I hadn't.
We had saved up for months to lessen the financial blow of my maternity leave and new baby expenses. That money was wiped out in a month, all because of hospital bills. I was already frazzled with learning how to keep a baby alive, and the unexpected financial stress didn't help.
Unfortunately, my frustration isn't rare. Countless families have gone through the same situation. While some women have tiny hospital bills after giving birth, they seem to be the minority.
Planning to have a child one day or just want to see how bad you had it compared to other women? Check out the hospital bills of several women from across the country below—all of whom were insured—then get expert input on how you can keep costs at bay when you give birth.
