Need Advice on $10k Hospital Bill for Newborn Care Due to Out-of-Network Insurance

Hey everyone,

I’m in a bit of a bind and could really use some advice. My spouse and I recently had a baby, and she was covered under her work insurance when delivering at the hospital. Shortly after the birth, she switched to part-time work and we added her and our baby to my insurance as a life-changing event. Unfortunately, my insurance was out-of-network for the hospital where the delivery took place.

Now, we’ve been hit with a $10,000 bill for the baby’s care because it wasn’t covered under in-network benefits. 😔

Here’s a quick rundown of the situation:

• My spouse was covered under her employer’s insurance at the time of delivery.
• She switched to my insurance right after the birth due to going part-time.
• Our baby was also added to my insurance since my spouse no longer had coverage.
• My insurance is out-of-network for the hospital, leading to this massive bill.

Has anyone else been in a similar situation? What steps did you take to resolve it? Any advice on how to negotiate with the hospital or get the insurance company to reconsider the charges would be greatly appreciated!

EDIT: I must add that we didn't notice anything wrong until the hospital sent us the babies part of the bill 6 months after being born. The insurance companies are saying that all changes needed to happen within 30 days of the birth, and it's too late to add baby to moms insurance.