Cost of Having a Baby Without Maternity Insurance

Basically, if you're self-employed and don't have maternity insurance before getting pregnant, you're not going to get maternity insurance, and so that leaves us paying out of pocket. I've done tons of researching on the whole self-pay with no maternity insurance and it turns out, since we're paying cash, apparently you get a cheaper discount on things rather than paying through insurance. It seems the prices are jacked up when you pay through insurance, and the doctors obviously like the cash now idea, and not having to worry with all the billing and insurance mess. So when I found out I was pregnant and I knew we couldn't get medicaid, we make too much this time around (I had it with both my previous pregnancies) I called my OB and let them know I was pregnant without maternity insurance and they scheduled me an appointment right away instead of the bs appointment where you go in and pee, just so they can prove you really are pregnant then send you back again 2 weeks later for your real first appointment. Anyway, they gave me a self-pay sheet with all the prices listed for everything. Everything we will be paying through them. Basically, everything but the hospital bill, which I need to get on that because I would like a hospital self-pay sheet too.

Luckily, we live in the south and baby delivery is supposed to be cheaper here than anywhere else. And I've read when you pay cash, likely at the hospital if you pay pretty quickly like, within 24 hours or before leaving, I've heard people getting their bills cut in half and even more! Plus everywhere I've searched overall it cost about $5,000 without insurance, and that's obviously the lowest .. meaning no complications, etc. Anyway, we've already paid our doctor the delivery bill (which is a little crazy being we're like 6 months from even having the baby. But, at least that's one more bill behind us.

So anyway, I wanted to keep up with all the costs for having a baby without insurance, because I want to believe so bad it's better than actually having insurance. As long as everything goes good. And by the way, I do still have my regular health insurance, just no maternity.

So here is what we've paid so far:

1. 1st Doctor Appointment (June 3, 2010): $210.00

2. 2nd Doctor Appointment: $90.00
Pregnancy Blood Tests: $138.00
Total pay for (July 1, 2010): $228.00

3. 3rd Doctor Appointment: $90.00
Cultures (Taken in June): $125.24
Pre-Paid Vaginal Delivery: $1,050.00
Total Pay for (July 29, 2010): $1,265.24

Total Pay So Far: $1,703.24