In January 2021, we were blessed with our first child. We are super happy and still trying to adjust with the schedule of the new boss in the home.
During the lockdown phase, we relied on virtual consultation, took utmost precautions while going out for diagnostics tests or buying medicines. It was extremely challenging and demanding situation considering the risks to the to-be-mom. Fortunately, everything went well throughout the pregnancy.
As we track all our expenses, we have consolidated the cost of all medical expenses related to pregnancy. These cover doctor consultations, prescription medicines, diagnostics tests, vaccinations(for mother) and finally the hospitalization, during different phases of a a low-risk pregnancy and normal delivery.
Break-up of medical costs
| Expenses Type | Amount |
| Pregnancy Kits | 110 |
| Consultations | 7,550 |
| Medicines | 10,489 |
| Vaccinations | 2,604 |
| Diagnostic Tests(including ultrasounds) | 33,230 |
| Inpatient hospitalization for Normal Delivery | 1,68,825 |
| Total | Rs. 2,22,808 |
75% of all expenses were incurred during the delivery which happened in an NCR hospital, belonging to one of the largest healthcare chain in India. We had to choose from a list of pre-defined packages for delivery. Its usually the same for most hospitals.
We chose the hospital because of the trust in our Doctor(who was affiliated to this hospital), emergency facilities and great medical insurance cover from our employer.
Importance of medical insurance
My wife’s employer provides an excellent medical insurance cover. As a result, the actual cost that we paid from our pocket throughout pregnancy was Rs. 4,469. The hospitalization and vaccination expenses were 100% reimbursed. The plan also covered major portions(80-90%) of expenses incurred on consultations, diagnostic tests and prescription drugs.
The insurance plan will also cover future medical expenses for our child. Thus, we haven’t opted for a separate medical insurance cover since I also have one from my employer.
The main purpose of this post is to highlight the importance of having adequate medical insurance which can cover any planned or unplanned expenses. I hope this was also helpful for people who want to understand the medical expenses related with pregnancy. For all other expenses associated with having a baby, this seems to be a good read -> https://parenting.firstcry.com/articles/brand-how-much-does-it-cost-to-plan-for-a-baby-in-india/
By the way, we have also updated the About Us page
Thanks for reading. It’s time to change the nappies 🙂
No comments:
Post a Comment