It is hard to keep up with all the advances in medical technology, but that’s a good thing. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this is one reason the average lifespan is 77.5 years. That life clock begins at birth, and that is also where medical technology is at its finest. When a baby is born prematurely or with some injury or defect, the baby will be placed in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
Specially trained staff will provide around-the-clock care for the babies in a hospital’s NICU unit. This can be a very challenging time for the new parents. It can also be costly care that most families would struggle to pay without insurance coverage. Parents aren’t focused on the bills, but it is important that they understand how much the NICU costs.
Some of the complications that place a baby into NICU could be an accident that happened during birth. That is a scenario where the costs of the NICU could be part of a personal injury lawsuit.
NICU Costs
Many factors contribute to the cost of NICU care. The first consideration is the number of staff members participating in NICU care. Here are some of the common staff members that make up a NICU care unit:
- Neonatologist
- Neonatal fellow
- Pediatric resident
- Neonatal nurse practitioner
- Respiratory therapist
- Dietitians
- Lactation consultants
- Pharmacists
- Social workers
Other factors contributing to the cost of NICU care include the location of the hospital, the length of the stay, and the level of care the baby receives. The Health Care Cost Institute puts the cost of general newborn care at $1,203 per day. For NICU care, that number jumps to $3,741 per day. It is not uncommon for the final bill to be several hundred thousand dollars up to over a million dollars.
Premature Births
The NICU is deployed most often when babies are born prematurely. When that occurs, the baby needs to be placed in NICU care to provide them with the care they need to develop fully. According to the AMA Journal of Ethics, around 4 million babies are delivered each year, and of that number, 15% or 500,000 of those babies are premature. That means they were born at less than 37 weeks of gestational age.
Many risk factors can contribute to a premature birth. Among those risk factors are the following:
- Pregnancy with twins, triplets, or other multiples.
- A span of less than six months between pregnancies.
- Treatments to help you get pregnant, including in vitro fertilization.
- More than one miscarriage or abortion.
- A previous premature birth.
Birth Injuries
In addition to a baby being born prematurely, there can also be injuries that occur before, during, or after the delivery that can lead to a NICU stay for recovery. Those injuries can include anything from broken bones to brain injury. Cerebral palsy or Erb’s palsy diagnoses are not unheard of in these instances. Here are some ways these injuries could happen:
Improper Forceps Use
Forceps are a common piece of medical equipment that doctors use to help deliver a baby who has shifted and become improperly positioned in the womb. A doctor needs to be extremely cautious when using forceps because they can cause nerve damage to the baby’s neck, shoulder, or chest. They can also cause head injuries.
Improper Vacuum Use
There are specially designed vacuums used exclusively during the birth process. They assist a doctor when there are difficulties expelling the fetus from the birth canal. If not used correctly, the device can manifest as injuries to the newborn.
Delay in Ordering a Caesarean Section
An emergency C-section happens when the child goes into fetal distress. If the delivery team does not recognize that distress, it could lead to a delay that can put the baby and mother at risk for injury.
Hypoxia
Hypoxia is the name given when the brain lacks oxygen. During childbirth, hypoxia can happen when the baby’s umbilical cord gets tangled, or there is damage to the placenta. If hypoxia is not quickly diagnosed, it can trigger chronic disabilities, including cerebral palsy.
Finding a Remedy for Newborn Injuries
Every insurance policy has a limit. With a stay in a NICU unit, the final bill can be astronomical.
If the insurance company balks at paying what the policy covers or if there is a suspicion that your doctor played a part in causing the birth injury, they could be held liable for those injuries and compelled to reimburse the family for those NICU expenses.
The attorneys at Shrager, Sachs, & Blanco understand how challenging it can be to deal with a NICU stay. It could also mean other health complications for the baby that persist throughout their lives. We have the experience to investigate the entire matter and provide you with the guidance you need to make an informed decision about the best course of action. Our support starts with a free consultation.
Call to schedule that discussion today.
