Babies cost $59.95 back in the 1950’s. I was almost free in the decade before that. Babies are worth a lot more these days………….
Alia Paavola – 4 hours ago Print | Email
Having a baby in the U.S. today, depending on the medical care needed, can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. That’s why a low-cost bill from 1955 is gaining attention, according to Newsweek.
The bill, which went viral on Reddit, was from a birth and a three-night stay in December 1955 in Belleville Hospital in Kansas.
The new mom was billed a total of $59.95 for the stay and delivery. The charges show that room, board and nursing services cost $27, the delivery room fee was $15, drugs and medicine cost $11.95, and “care of infant” was $6.
One commenter on Reddit estimated that $59.95 for the stay in 1955 is equivalent to about $600 today.
The post, shared in July, was upvoted more than 10,000 times, prompting new parents to share the bills they have received.
One Reddit user, Flatline1775, posted: “Just shy of $700k for me. 96 days in the NICU will do that though. I have a happy, healthy 4 year old now though, so it was worth every penny.”
Other bills for baby deliveries have gained attention in recent months. In January, a Kansas couple shared that they received a $270,951 medical bill after the birth of their first child — even though they’re both insured.
The parents faced the high bill because of a regulation called the “birthday rule.” This rule says that a child born with double health insurance eligibility must be enrolled in the plan belonging to the parent whose birthday comes first in the calendar year. A Kansas lawmaker in July proposed legislation to ensure stories like theirs don’t happen again.
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