Foreigners are stunned when an American mother reveals an astronomical hospital bill after giving birth
A new mother left the internet shocked at the astronomical medical bill she received after giving birth.
Janice Hernandez had daughter Aliana via emergency caesarean section at the end of October.
The girl was born with the one in 30,000 genetic condition Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), which leads to feeding problems and low muscle tone in newborns
Aliana spent seven weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and finally came home in December.
However, the stress was far from over. Earlier this month, Ms. Hernandez received a hospital bill for more than $700,000 for her daughter’s stay in the NICU.
As she looked through the bill, she saw that the costs for seemingly small comforts like lotion and moving the newborn to another room were mounting.
Ms. Hernandez’s story, that she shared on TikTok last week, this led to users sharing similar issues with ‘insane’ medical costs in the US.
Other users in countries like Canada and Australia, which have universal healthcare, were shocked by the high price tag.
Janice Hernandez (pictured left) posted a TikTok video claiming she was billed more than $700,000 (right) for her daughter’s stay in the NICU
In one follow up videoMs. Hernandez said, “Imagine if I didn’t have insurance. I should pay for all this.’
“Here in America, just breathing costs money, and when you go into a hospital they automatically start charging you.
“I just wish America would get its health care system in order.”
The NICU provides constant care for babies born prematurely or diagnosed with health problems, like Ms. Hernandez’s daughter.
Babies often receive assistance with feeding, for example through a feeding tube, and breathing support.
Although most NICU babies only need to stay a few days, some may spend weeks or months in the hospital, depending on their needs.
Mrs. Hernandez received an itemized bill for her daughter’s entire stay.
When she went through it, she noticed that she was charged $4,337 every time the staff changed Aliana’s room.
She claims this happened six times, amounting to just over $26,000.
There were also charges for small items, such as tubes of lotion.
The total bill was $738,360. However, Ms. Hernandez said she has insurance, which should pay most of the costs.
Aliana, pictured here, was born with the rare genetic condition Prader-Willi syndrome. She spent almost two months in the NICU, her mother said
Total U.S. health care spending — including what the government, insurance companies and individuals pay for — grew above $4.3 trillion in 2021, though the U.S. is also notorious for high medical bills due to a lack of universal health care.
Ms. Hernandez’s video, which has been viewed 2.8 million times, prompted dozens of other users to share similar stories of mounting medical bills after their children were in intensive care.
A user named Tanya noted that her daughter’s NICU bill was $2.5 million. After insurance, she owed $4,500.
Another commenter named Maegan claimed she was billed $4 million after her twins were born thirteen weeks premature and had to stay in the NICU.
However, users in other countries with universal healthcare were shocked by the high price tag.
One user said: ‘This is actually insane. America in general feels like a scam, in Canada this would have been $0. I feel so sad thinking about all those mothers not having their babies and having to pay SO MUCH money.”
Another said: ‘As someone who lives in Australia. I AM IN TEARS FOR YOU.”
User Stacey Whelan wrote: ‘What!!! I live in New Zealand and have had two babies, one who had a nicu stay, it cost me ZERO dollars and that’s without insurance. America is insane!!”