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Couple left with $200k bill after baby born in US (www.bbc.co.uk)

submitted 22 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago) by Beep@lemmus.org to c/nottheonion@lemmy.world

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A couple were told they faced a $200,000 (£146,500) medical bill when their baby was born prematurely in the US, despite them having travel insurance which covered her pregnancy.

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[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 14 points 17 hours ago (3 children)

NICUs are capital and professional labor intensive. I got to meet the team of doctors and nurses who kept my son alive and thriving for the three months between birth and due date. Idk what the magic number to care for him should have been, but I don't think six figures is an unfair estimate in any socio-economic system.

The question after that is "Who paid for it?" And, in my case, it was Medicaid, which was a huge relief. These poor bastards clearly didn't have the option.

[–] ChexMax@lemmy.world 1 points 7 minutes ago

My nephew was also in the nicu for three months, and he cost a million dollars. Also picked up by Medicaid. As much as I hate the US Healthcare system, I will be forever grateful to the united states of America for providing life to my nephew when in any other time or situation he would have just died immediately. He is and continues to be a miracle, a very special, bright boy who just scored a goal for his soccer team this weekend for the first time.

[–] Lemming6969@lemmy.world 5 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago)

Was likely 2 hours a day actual attended care, 1000 a day, 90k for 3 months, plus rent, food, materials, another 500 a day. That's $135-155k even with conservative care in nicu. In a real nicu that would be 10x

[–] Evil_Shrubbery@thelemmy.club 12 points 13 hours ago

Why it's so capital intensive is another issue, but the matter of six figures being reasonable is to compare that to costs of similar treatments in other countries (usually it's an order of magnitude more expensive).

Healthcare just can't be free market bcs the demand side cannot be free by definition.