Father’s $40 charge for holding newborn unleashes avalanche of health care cost stories

The story about a father who was charged $40 for holding his newborn after his wife’s Caesarean section has really struck a nerve.

Thousands of consumers are sharing their own stories about surprise hospital bills that – at best – left  them scratching their heads and at worst, left them in financial distress.

In August, Ryan Grassley shared a photo of a Utah hospital bill on Reddit, which showed a charge of $39.95 for “skin to skin after c-sec.” Grassley said he knew the cost of delivery would be pricey – more than $13,000 before insurance payments and adjustments – but the $40 charge gave him and his wife “a chuckle.”

Other consumers aren’t laughing.

When Voices for Affordable Health posted a news article about the charge, Bridgette Villareal of Woodburn, Ore., spoke up. She was charged $200 twice – one for each of her first two kids – for use of the hospital nursery, even though her newborns never used it. She contested the charges but couldn’t get them reversed.

And Gayle Johnston from Lakeview, Ore., shared that she was charged $50 for a “syphon device,” which turned out to be a straw for her water.

On the Reddit string started by Ryan Grassley, another consumer shared that he asked for an itemized bill after his son was born, and the hospital immediately offered to reduce the price by 40 percent. “Proudest moment of my life was the birth of my son,” said the commenter with the handle “ahsnappy.” “The second was when I countered at 60 percent and she accepted.”

Consumers can ensure they don’t overpay their hospital bills a number of ways. Check out our in-depth look at high hospital bills, which includes tips to bring down your costs. And then share your own story with us and what you to do save.