Why should it cost $5,000 or more to have a baby in a hospital? Having a baby is a natural process, and there certainly should be an avenue open to families who do not have health insurance.
Fifteen years ago when my first two grandchildren were born, there were clinics at McNeal Hospital in Berwyn and Nazareth Hospital in Des Plaines were you could have a baby for $800 if you did not have health insurance. Parents only had to pay $50 a month for little over a year to pay off their hospital bill.
Five years ago, when my youngest grandson was born, the lowest price my daughter could find was St. Francis Hospital in Evanston for $4,500–which meant they paid the hospital bill at $50 per month for 90 months–or until the child was in 2nd grade. While she was in St. Francis, a midwife nurse stayed with her and was a big help to her. The doctor didn’t make it to the delivery, and the midwife delivered the baby because it was coming so fast.
My other daughter also had a baby five years ago, and she was the only mother in the maternity ward, so there were three nurses taking care of one mother and one baby. When I had my children 30 years ago, three nurses would be taking care of 20 mothers and 20 babies.
It seems to me that the medical profession has to rethink the treatment of young families. They should be willing to set up birthing centers for the delivery of babies at a reasonable cost so that families without health insurance don’t have to pay hospitals for seven years.
