Paula D’Amore tells WSVN-TV that wasn’t how she expected to deliver her daughter, Daniella, who was born in the fire lane at Boca Raton Regional Hospital.
D’Amore’s husband caught the baby’s head as nurses ran out of the hospital to help with the rest of the delivery.
Seven months later, the hospital sent D’Amore a bill for $7,000, which is the full delivery fee. She says she planned for the birthing costs prior to delivery but since she never made it to the delivery room, she thought the hospital would adjust her bill.
The hospital did not immediately comment on the case.
13 comments:
She should have to pay a single dime at this point. She didn't even use the facilities.
I'll bet.
I'm assuming since it was in front of the hospital, it's their property.
Get that one in front of a jury.
I see this all the time in PI cases. The hospital facilities suck up all the money. Actually, that's been developing since the 1970s and the invention of the HMO. The doctors and nurses don't get paid what they ought, especially the docs; they get paid what the "medical industry" thinks they should get paid. Another wrinkle is that everyone involved in the medical industry is getting gouged by regulations so the second they see a pot of money they can exploit, their bills rise astronomically. Example: In PI cases in Cali, the amount of the paid bills is the touchstone for the value of the services (to be reimbursed by the at-fault party). So if you're in a car accident with an insured driver, the hospital that treats you will keep the account open so they can pretend their bills (which are completely jacked up) are not "paid." The jacked-up bills will be presented as evidence of the value of the treatment services. Meanwhile, Medicare pays pennies on the dollar for the exact same treatment services.
She was on their property and she could have sued had anything gone wrong. A large percentage of OB expenses are for malpractice insurance. Nurses were involved. No doubt this will be settled, but in reality, she should pay for having her baby there.
Funny, there is no mention of what was done after the baby was born - I would imagine the baby was taken into the hospital for aspiration, evaluation and other newborn services, and the mother was too. This story is a crock, and besides, Obamacare, so pay up!
On most hospital bills I've seen the massive chunk of the bill is simply for the room charge. So yes, the nurses probably cut the cord and checked over the baby and tended to the mother but that doesn't justify full charge.
The charge is not for their services, it is to pay for the insurance that the hospital has to carry. Look into it - OB/GYN malpractice insurance is astronomical.
I know, I know. From all the stupid malpractice lawsuits. You're preaching to the choir on that one. I'm still right about the hospital facility charges, they soak us with that. $7,000 looks low for my area but this was in a Louisiana regional (poor people) hospital.
The Mouth of the Rat, which is in Florida, not Red Stick, LA.
Once she and the baby entered the hospital the meter started running. She needs to pay up and be thankful they are both still alive.
My thoughts were like Sixty's. I also ran this by my wife, a hospital admin with a NICU specialty. She wonders if they delivered the placenta in the parking lot or not; as that is also part of the birth. Still, she thought the rate should be adjusted (her hospital its about $8,000).
I completely disagree with Meth. She doesn't want to pay a thing (which isn't her complaint, just Meth's); then she should have stayed home. Go to a hospital; they have different people for L&D than Mother/Baby. She didn't get the full L&D, but I'm sure she got the Mother/Baby, which is the part where they make sure both the Mom and the Baby are actually healthy. Apart from the pain killers; its the reason people go to a hospital to deliver a baby, for the after care.
Well, someone's gotta pay for all the illegals getting free treatment there.
Leland said...
My thoughts were like Sixty's. I also ran this by my wife, a hospital admin with a NICU specialty. She wonders if they delivered the placenta in the parking lot or not; as that is also part of the birth. Still, she thought the rate should be adjusted (her hospital its about $8,000).
I completely disagree with Meth. She doesn't want to pay a thing (which isn't her complaint, just Meth's); then she should have stayed home. Go to a hospital; they have different people for L&D than Mother/Baby. She didn't get the full L&D, but I'm sure she got the Mother/Baby, which is the part where they make sure both the Mom and the Baby are actually healthy. Apart from the pain killers; its the reason people go to a hospital to deliver a baby, for the after care.
So because she birthed in the parking lot, had nursing staff come out for support, she should be liable for payment simply by being on that property? Now, if she was admitted into the hospital after the fact for post-natel care, I can see that as if she was there for the whole thing, she would have to pay for some modicum of that charge, but a full $7k for birthing in the parking lot? Okay, maybe she doesn't get away with not paying, but at least cut the woman a discount or something.
The hospital is held liable, so you think it should go one way?
In reality, we do not have enough facts to understand what really happened. An irate woman in a hormonal fugue state talked to a tv station and that's all we have. I know that reporters are degenerate liars and I don't trust them as far as I can throw them.
Why did this happen as reported? Where did the delivery actually occur? When did it happen? Who was present? Does she have insurance? Why is this story being told?
I could go on, but the whole thing stinks to high heaven.
Post a Comment