Here Are Tips to Enjoy “Free” Childbirth in US

NaDa Mustafa

Women are traveling thousands of miles from their home countries to have their babies in the United States (US) so their newborns go home U.S. citizens.

It's called “birth tourism” — a term referring to pregnant women traveling to the U.S. in order to give birth and secure U.S. citizenship for their child.

According to the 14th amendment of the U.S. constitution, if a child is born on American soil, he/she receives citizenship automatically, enjoying the full rights to live, study and work in the country.

Hence, birth tourism has increased in America, especially since the child allows parents to immigrate for 18 years, in addition to his ability to visit all countries of the world in the easiest possible way.

Yet, US President Donald Trump's administration is reportedly planning to unveil a rule aimed at cracking down on birth tourism and has made the travel acceptance conditions more complicated.

Let’s go through these conditions, and how to deal with it, starting from the travel request to the costs of childbirth in America, the choosing of an appropriate hospital, the registration of children and many other important details…

Conditions of childbirth in the US:

-The applicants should apply for the American visa for convincing reasons; they must show their "nonimmigrant intent," or prove that they really plan to act like a tourist and leave on time.

-You should have sufficient funds to cover your expenses while visiting the U.S.

- It is preferable to mention if you have traveled to any foreign countries before, as it improves your position very much.

- When answering embassy questions during the interview, make your response clear and concise .. Also, you should expect any questions about your tour plan, hotel reservations, and others.

-The best timing for a pregnant woman to travel is before reaching the last month and sometimes some travel before the 36th week of pregnancy.

- You can avoid refusing a pregnant woman boarding the plane by obtaining a medical report from the doctor in charge of her condition that she is able to travel via a plane without risk.

Steps to planning Childbirth in the US

- Setting the travel date in proportion to pregnancy status.

-Booking the flight tickets in accordance with the planned date.

- Choosing the state

The horrifying cost of childbirth in the US

-The average price for a baby delivery package in the US is $50,000. This includes processing documents, transfer, and accommodation for 3-4 months, medical care before, during, and after the birth for both mom and the newborn.

-The operations range from $15,000 -$25,000 in the case of natural birth, and up to 50,000 in cases of cesarean delivery, depending on the situation, the type of hospital, and the method of delivery itself.

-In some hospitals, the payment is made according to the number of minutes the pregnant woman spent in the hospital to give birth.

-Several prenatal exams and analyzes are required, which are also very expensive, thus, it is preferable to do them all before traveling.

How to enjoy "free" childbirth in the US?

The best way to enjoy free childbirth is the “Medicaid insurance” method, which is affiliated with one of the major companies called the "UnitedHealth" group.

This institution has got a great reputation among citizenship applicants, and indeed it is a free service.

Facts about "Medicaid insurance"

-You will only need to have a passport to apply for this free service.

-The most important condition for obtaining insurance is to have an identified address, so all information is sent to you through it.

- If you live with one of your relatives, you must put your name on the contract, because once they see a difference in the name, the application is canceled directly.

-You will receive the admission card for the mother and the baby after 14 days.

- Insurance will cover the costs of childbirth only.