How I did it: We definitely benefited from having insurance and our own health saving account, which we fund with approximately $1,000 each year. After insurance, we ended up paying $1,400 to our clinic, $300 to the anesthesiologist, and $30 to the neonatalogist. We owed the hospital $1,700, but applied for financial aid and received a 75% reduction. We arranged payments and were able to pay this off in three months.

Lessons & tips:

• Get insurance! 
• Apply for financial aid  
• Apply for church donations or aid 
• If you are paying medical bills related to childbirth, consider using a midwife or freestanding birth clinic, if possible; even if your provider doesn't cover it, they are much cheaper 

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Jan 31, 2009, 04:45PM PST | 0 comments | 1 cheer