Mom delivered her baby in the hospital car lot, but then they charged her this outrageous fee in an emergency. It’s fair to say that sometimes all of the normal rules go out the window and let’s face it, giving birth in a hospital parking lot. Definitely it counts as an emergency. Shockingly, though, the hospital in question still billed this mom for use of a delivery room that she didn’t set foot in.
April 7, 2016 was a special day for Paula Damara and her husband, Joseph. That’s because it was the day that the couple welcomed their third baby into the world. Of course, like all parents, the pair were hoping that everything would go as perfectly as possible for their new arrival.
Then, Demur decided to document the miracle of life. I knew if I ever got pregnant again, I’d hire a professional photographer so that I’d be able to have those pictures of giving birth, she explained. Therefore, she hired specialist birth photographer Paulina Splegta, who turned up as planned when the expected mom started labor splitter arrived at the couple’s home in Green Acres, Florida, where she snapped door, soothing herself in a bath at the very earliest stages of labor. Then, when the time came, Damor and her midwife climbed into the family’s Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Joseph drove them to the hospital. Everything appeared to be going as planned, so the birthing party headed to the Boca Raton Regional Hospital, and photographer split to follow behind the SUV in her own car.
But as the couple were driving along, Demore’s delivery progressed rapidly. In fact, just as the group were pulling into the hospital, Demore realized she was about to give birth at any moment. So they pulled into the fire Lane of the facility just in the Nick of time. We drove up, my husband ran out, and I said, you know, she’s crowning and her head came out, Deborah revealed. Luckily, Spleecta managed to get the scene just in time to capture the dramatic birth on camera.
But it was too late to get debar into the hospital building, so nurses rushed to the car to help with the delivery. There, alongside Damore’s husband and her midwife, the nurses delivered a healthy baby girl, who the couple named Daniella. Recalling the emotional moment, Demore said, It was a spectacle. I mean, everybody was out there. Speaking to Inside Edition, she added, I would have never imagined that it would have been right outside the hospital.
Although the birth didn’t entirely go to plan, DeMar and her family were just happy that their little girl was delivered safely. Danielle weighed £8 and 6oz and measured 20 inches from head to toe. To me, it was beautiful, the mom later said. It didn’t matter if it was in my house or in the car or in the hospital, it didn’t matter. And importantly, to do More, she had finally captured the beauty of birth on camera.
However, it almost didn’t happen. Splendida later admitted, I’m fortunate that I was able to make it to the hospital in time to document the birth. But she did, and Damore was over the moon with the result. Mind you, giving birth in the car wasn’t the only surprise from the delivery. Months after Danielle and her mom were home to More received her hospital bill and despite not giving birth in the hospital’s delivery room, Des Moore found that she had still been charged an exorbitant delivery room fee.
Yes, even though she had given birth in her car, Demore was charged more than $7,000 for use of a delivery room. The price, she said, is a little too high considering the details of her baby’s delivery, so the family decided that they weren’t going to pay that part of the bill. Furthermore, Demur claimed that the hospital also charged her for a problem that was the result of Staph negligence. According to Demors, the hospital didn’t claim Daniella before taking a sample of the newborn’s blood. This allegedly led to the baby needing further treatment for a bacterial infection.
To clarify, Damore is not disputing the whole bill. I knew that I was responsible for $5,000. I get it. I’m going to pay the bill. That’s not the issue.
The issue is that I’m like I look at this delivery charge and I think that’s a little outrageous, she said. However, the hospital has countered to Moore’s argument the hospital appropriately bills for the medical services and care it provides and is determined that the level of care provided and billing were appropriate. In this instance, Thomas Jacorda, the hospital’s vice President for marketing, said in a statement, it seems that because Demur was taken into the hospital to deliver the placenta, the hospital deemed it appropriate to charge the full delivery fee. However, Danielle’s family isn’t alone in feeling this is a little unfair. In fact, after going public with her story on Facebook, Demurs received many supportive comments.
So if you’ve been in labor for 12 hours in the hospital and delivered in the hospital, wouldn’t it have been the same? Asked one Facebook user. If so, I would fight that. If all you did was deliver the placenta inside, then why be charged for a whole birth fee? However, one Commenter on Facebook counter that Damour was in the room for the delivery of the placenta and monitoring hospital rooms usually charge for the day.
Otherwise, all of us ladies with short labor would have cheaper bills. Sucks, but true. Still, after starting life in the fast Lane, we’ll actually make that the fire Lane baby Daniella settled in well at home. Yes, family photos showed the little cutie with her two older brothers and doting parents. She’s pretty quiet for the most part, unless she isn’t getting her way kind of like mommy, Damore joked.
And despite the distress, the pricey bill has caused demur has admitted that she may have to pay the sum in full. That is, if she and the hospital can resolve their disagreement. Meanwhile, the family is prepared for the worse and set up a payment plan toward the fee. However, they still would like an apology from the hospital as Deborah claimed it turned a beautiful experience into hell.