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Partners
You may be so caught up in the fun of preparing for the birth of your baby, that you could forget to plan ahead for the scariest part: Bills.
There are plenty of stories about new parents who have experienced anxiety because they didn’t anticipate some of the costs. Do you know of someone who has been hit with a killer bill from an anesthetist or some other medical professional?
When you’re lying on a hospital bed, and you’re told you have to go into surgery unexpectedly, the last thing on your mind is your bank account. You’ll sign the forms and head for the operating theatre without a second thought. You may even assume that your medical plan will cover it. These bills could run to R10,000 or more.
Private hospitals and clinics, as well as state hospitals, usually ask that amounts not covered by medical insurance plans be paid up front, or prior to the patient being discharged. Some even ask for the whole amount to be paid in full, with a policy of reimbursement by the medical insurance plan. Most people don’t have thousands in cash lying around.
It sounds like common sense, but if you don’t find out about some of the possible costs, you could find yourself having to cash in a policy or sell a car to pay off what should have been one of the happiest moments of your life.
Not all clinics, hospitals and doctors are bad at explaining bills, but, unless you ask, you may not be prepared.
Are you fully prepared? Have you had horror hospital bills?
There are plenty of stories about new parents who have experienced anxiety because they didn’t anticipate some of the costs. Do you know of someone who has been hit with a killer bill from an anesthetist or some other medical professional?
When you’re lying on a hospital bed, and you’re told you have to go into surgery unexpectedly, the last thing on your mind is your bank account. You’ll sign the forms and head for the operating theatre without a second thought. You may even assume that your medical plan will cover it. These bills could run to R10,000 or more.
Private hospitals and clinics, as well as state hospitals, usually ask that amounts not covered by medical insurance plans be paid up front, or prior to the patient being discharged. Some even ask for the whole amount to be paid in full, with a policy of reimbursement by the medical insurance plan. Most people don’t have thousands in cash lying around.
It sounds like common sense, but if you don’t find out about some of the possible costs, you could find yourself having to cash in a policy or sell a car to pay off what should have been one of the happiest moments of your life.
Not all clinics, hospitals and doctors are bad at explaining bills, but, unless you ask, you may not be prepared.
Are you fully prepared? Have you had horror hospital bills?
