How do poor people in the states give birth without money?

Submitted ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago⁩ by ⁨moistclump@lemmy.world⁩ to ⁨nostupidquestions@lemmy.world⁩

I’m Canadian. And I’m already sorry for asking an ignorant question.

I know you have to pay for hospital visits in the states. I know lower economic status can come with lower access to birth control and sex education. But then, how do they afford to give birth? Do people ever avoid hospital visits because they don’t feel like they can’t afford it?

Do hospitals put people on a payment plan? Is it possible to give birth and not pay if you don’t have the means? How does it work in the states?

How does it all work?

Again. Canadian. And sorry.

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jeffw@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
One thing others haven’t mentioned: most states accepted the ACA Medicaid expansion, which means most poor people qualify for Medicaid (at least in 80%ish of states). Medicaid is pretty cheap out of pocket. It can get complicated around who accepts the insurance, but almost any hospital where you go to give birth will.

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Ookami38@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
Bathtub. Car. Alleyway. Crippling debt that, while shouldn’t be impactful on credit score, will still follow you for your lifetime.

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postmateDumbass@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
Babies and births were things before money was a thing.

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indigojasper@kbin.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
I haven't looked too deep into it because I don't plan on having children, but it's probably cheaper to have the kid at home. I've met a couple people who opted for the home birth and they were glad they did.

(I've also just personally always thought giving birth in the bath with water would be the way to go if I ever did it. Feelings that it might be easier for baby to be born into water and not directly into cold air after being in the warm amniotic fluid so long.)

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mechoman444@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
The same way anyone else does you go to the hospital. They are required to provide anyone with medical care especially in emergency situations.

Many hospitals in the us simply offer these kinds of medical things for free, if one qualifies.

The difference is at the end of the medical procedures one could get slapped with a medical bill… That one can discard outright. Medical dept is more often than not forgiven or forgotten by the hospital. It could be reported on your credit history but that is also often times overlooked or not calculated by the credit reporting agency.

America basically has universal healthcare. Of course there are very serious situations concerning long term care and unorthodox or experimental procedures that can be denied if they aren’t paid for.

And don’t get me wrong the health care system in America is a travesty and a human and civil rights issue that needs to be resolved!

I’m just saying you’re not gonna die if they can help it.

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- gedaliyah@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
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  - mechoman444@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
    So no. What you have said is a lie. I have no idea what motivation you have by making something this up but you did and you should be ashamed.
    
    If a woman in labor enters a hospital in the United States they are legally required by law to deliver the baby regardless of how the person can pay.
    
    Later after the woman and baby are discharged they can send them bills for the medical procedures whatever those maybe and yes they have the option of going after that debt in whatever way our legal system allows them to.
    
    What I am saying is, specifically for medical debt they don’t often go after especially in emergency situations and end of life situations.
    
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- i_am_not_a_robot@feddit.uk ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
  
  I’m just saying you’re not gonna die if they can help it.
  
  Dead people can’t pay, so it’s in their interests to keep you alive.
  
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- moistclump@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
  Stupid question: can you just not tell them who you are?
  
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  - SnotFlickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
    Nope. You will have to fill out paperwork after triage and before being put in a bed.
    
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  - skulblaka@kbin.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
    If you want to give birth in the hospital they're going to need to create a birth certificate. That probably requires ID.
    
    Otherwise if you just get dropped off at the front door of the emergency room with no ID on you, you'll get treated as a John Doe. Basically, unidentified person needs assistance. I don't know how exactly that situation works its way through the billing department.
    
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  - halferect@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
    For stuff like in and out treatment you can but if you need ongoing care or prescriptions it would be difficult and either way if you get caught you are gonna get in trouble, fines, possible jail time so it’s best to just give your real info and just not pay or plead your case with the indigent fund hospitals usually have. All that said I’ve known plenty of people who have given fake info and have has no repercussions
    
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kttnpunk@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
Same with any hospital visit here afaik. Most hospitals have a loophole if you can’t pay, you can dispute the fees, they check your income, etc… like others have said I think it affects your credit score either way. But it’s all part of the privatized healthcare grift.

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SirToxicAvenger@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
dunno, my sister hired a midwife to handle the birth. i heard it was cheaper than a hospital visit but I have no idea of the actual cost.

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ASeriesOfPoorChoices@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
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