Having a baby is supposed to be the happiest moment in a family’s life. The last thing parents expect is to have to fight with their insurance company, especially when it comes to the well-being of their bundle of joy.
Unfortunately, that was the case for Blake Wexler. In a TikTok video, the new dad shared that he and his wife were already going through a tumultuous time considering their baby needed extra time in the NICU, but now things were getting worse because their insurance company was adamant about not covering the cost.
A newborn’s first experience in the world is a letter from her parents’ health insurance refusing to pay for her stay in the NICU.
“So my wife and I just got a letter from UnitedHealthcare telling us that they’re denying coverage for our twin’s stay in the NICU,” Wexler announced in his video. “And if you thought that was inhumane, you’re right. But listen to this.”
Wexler explained that the letter wasn’t even addressed to them; it was addressed to their baby. Sadly, their premature baby’s first experience in this world is a letter from a health insurance company stating that they can’t cover the cost of her medical needs. But it’s also right on brand for the American healthcare system and insurance companies.
“I guess my only other question for United Healthcare is that if the baby was still in the womb, would you have sent the letter to my wife and had her eat it in order to get it to the baby?”
Medical debt is extremely common among new parents.
Elizaveta Galitckaia | Shutterstock
Wexler and his wife’s experience with their insurance denying coverage for their newborn baby is a tale as old as time. Childbirth is associated with an average of nearly $3,000 in additional out-of-pocket spending for new parents.
Among women ages 18-35, 14.3% of those who gave birth in the last year and a half have medical debt in excess of $250, compared to 7.6% of women in the same age group who did not have a child recently. The burden of medical debt in this country extends far beyond childbirth as well.
Even though 90% of the United States population has some form of health insurance, medical debt still remains a consistent problem. Adults living with a disability are more likely than those without a disability to report owing medical debt (13% vs. 6%).
Similarly, adults who report their health status is “fair” or “poor” are more likely to say they owe medical debt than those who say they are in “good” or better health.
This country’s medical debt problem continues to cripple households in a way that is, simply put, not fair at all. Not only do Wexler and his wife have to worry about NICU costs, but the expenses won’t end there.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
Comments are closed.