How much does pregnancy care and childbirth cost with and without medic-aid help?

Question

I've been asking and asking questions trying to convince myself that everything will not go the wrong way.

I've been dreaming and imagining how I can keep my unplanned baby and live happily ever after with the baby.

But, I'm really at loss now because just the cost of prenatal care and childbirth will be horrendously expensive without any type of insurance or aid.

I've contacted the medic-aid office, I haven't been interviewed yet, but the situation doesn't feel very encouraging. I'm desperate. I do not want abortion and I want life for this baby. But I need pregnancy care and people seems to have a stigma over adoption (not to mention the possibility that finding an adoption family will be difficult because of the child's biracial heritage).

Please, anybody who has information about affordable prenatal and childbirth costs, and I mean really affordable, please let me know the rough figures.

Answer 1

I know that it costs about 5000-7000 for you and your baby to stay in the hospital when you give birth.  you should try a free clinic or one that goes on a sliding scale.  

The hospitals also have programs that will help you eliminate your debt there by applying for financial aid when you get the bill.  

Also you should try contacting the FHIAP.  They help  you if you can not get on medicaid and if your employer offers insurance they will pay for the premium and they also help if your employer won't.

good luck.

Answer 2

I don't understand why you do not qualify for medical assistance unless you have another form of insurance.  I would definitely contact your local medical assistance office to make an appointment and find out more information.  

You indicate that the cost of prenatal and pregnancy care are expensive - where is the father?  He is responsible for these costs also.  I would certainly make sure that he is contributing to this.

You also mentioned that adoption has a stigma and that finding a family for a bi-racial child would be difficult.  This is not necessarily true.  If you choose adoption, be sure to get yourself counseling and support so that you are truly sure that this is what you want to do.  

Do you have any family that can help you with the prenatal care finances if you truly cannot get medical assistance?  A support system through this time, regardless of what decision you make, will be extremely important to you.  

Good luck.

Answer 3

Contact your local midwives association.   They will often do low cost and even free pre-natal care and births, especially if you are willing to work with a midwife-trainee (supervised of course!)

Your biggest expense will be hospitalization for the actual birth, if you choose to give birth in a hospital.  You can also choose to give birth at home.  This is VERY do-able for a normal pregnancy.

With a mid-wife and a doula, you should be looking at 1500-2000 dollars, depending on where you are.  

Contact me off list, and I will help you find a midwife if you want one, and one is available in your area.

If yo are local to me, I will volunteer doula services for you.

edit:

Alisa A has some good suggestions, but stay away  from Veritas, they are a radical anti-abortion group with lots of rhetoric, and no physical support.  You will never get them to leave you alone, even after your child is here!

You should contact your spiritual leader, if you have one, they are likely to know about other options than public assistance in your area.  

I wish you all good things,

Answer 4

I don't know what state you are in, but just google "medical assistance" and find the listing for your state.  Or, go to your state's website and find the department of human services (or it might be under the health department or something similar) and find the medical assistance information for your state.  There are programs available, free or low cost.  

Similarly, inquire at the county level where you're located.  Medicare isn't your only option.  Aren't you going to college?  Get in touch with your school counselor, ask if there are any programs for college students.  

Knowlege is power...start googling.  Educate yourself, find out your options.  You can DO THIS.

Good luck.

Answer 5

Research home births. They are about 1/4 of the cost of a hospital birth. My friend just did one and she loved it. Her baby nursed so much better as well. I'm sure you qualify for medicaid. Keep contacting them!

ETA - I can't believe somebody would give me a thumbs down for recommending a home birth. Seriously, some people really hold grudges. Sad!!!

Answer 6

Wow, how can a country let someone go through pregnancy without antenatal care?!! surely there has to be a way that a mother and baby don't have to be put at risk this way?

Come to England, have your baby.  The healthcare system has it's faults, but it would NEVER let a mother and baby go without safe antenatal care   Wow, I'm flabbergasted, really I am

Where's the father.   Have you been the the County Hospital, tried medi-cal?  

Have you been refused care  yee gads

You need medical care and not just on the condition that you relinquish your child either!

Honestly, have you thought about having your baby in another country.   I even have friends who are doctors and midwives and NO WAY would they let a mother go without care - that sucks.   You are welcome here anytime, really.

eta.  The father is not 'helping you out'  This child is at LEAST 50% his responsibility!   He needs to step up and take on his responsibility - you did not create this baby on your own!

ETA.   $27K  me thinks somebody's pants are on fire and attempting to scare someone toward adoption pffftt!

Answer 7

my daughter just had a baby and total costs (pre-natal, c-section, hospital, etc) and total costs came to $27k

ETA:  Good God, Heather! Can i say anything without your SmartA** snide comments?

consider the 9 mos of prenatal care and the prescriptions; consider the petosin they keep dripping into you and hte charges for each piece of medical equipment they breathe on; consider a 6 day hospital stay; $1700 just for the two nights that the baby was in the nursery.  The post-natal and pediatric care needs to be administered.     Please also remember, Heather, that here, the prices are somewhat inflated so that insurance makes you think you got such a great deal when they pay the 'discounted' rate.  

Mercy, you could get a couple of different ideas here but they're going to be fanatics on either side (myself included).  go to planned parenthood, talk to them; call your county assistance program and talk to them; call your countrys consulate and see if there's anywhere they could direct you as well; contact your local church and talk to them.  That way, you'll get several different opinions that aren't made of snide, smart *** cracking whining know it alls.  You'll get some honest, humble, fair information from all sides.  Also, check out Veritas.org as well -- they can probably help you.

Answer 8

if you can't get medic-At, i would try counties health department. They can ref err you to a clinic or a place that could offer a sliding fee for the monthly checkups. The hospitals have to deliver your baby and you can make payment arrangements with them. If your hospital stay is over a certain amount, take it to your local states well fare office and see if they may help you out. My sister had a baby with out insurance, and her tab was over 200,000 dollars for her and baby. Her husband had no insurance, but made to much money for Medicaid. She took the bill to the state, and they paid for all of it but 5000 dollars. Try anything that you can, because that baby is something that you will love forever. You also could look into a home birth. Midwives usually have a team of people that help her and that usually runs under 3000 dollars depending on what state you live in. Good luck