Paying for your baby’s NICU stay
Key Points
Contact your health insurance company to find out what medical costs are covered by your plan.
If your baby isn’t already on your insurance plan, call the company to add them.
If your insurance doesn’t cover all of your baby’s care, you may be able to apply for more insurance or financial aid. Your NICU social worker or case manager can help you with this.
How do you know what costs are covered by your health insurance?
You may start getting bills for your baby’s stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) while they’re still in the hospital. Find out what costs are covered by your health insurance and what costs you need to pay for. Health insurance helps pay for medical care. You may get health insurance from your employer, from the government, or you may buy it on your own. If you have not done so already, call your health insurance company and add your baby to your plan. You can find the company’s phone number on your insurance card or on its website.
When you talk to your health insurance provider, ask these questions:
- Does my plan pay for all of my baby’s medical expenses in the NICU?
- Are there services that the plan does not pay for?
- How do we pay the remaining cost?
Take notes when you talk to your insurance provider. Write down the date of the call and the names of the people whom you talked to. Many parents find it helpful to start a folder of letters and bills related to the cost of their baby’s medical care. Keeping everything together in one place can help you stay organized so you can focus on your baby’s care..
What if your health insurance doesn’t cover all of your baby’s care?
If your insurance doesn’t cover all services for your baby, ask the NICU social worker or case manager what to do. One or both of these staff can help you work with your insurance company and help plan for your baby’s transition home. They may suggest you apply for more insurance or financial aid. Examples include hospital Medicaid or Social Security Insurance Programs (also called SSI). Your baby may qualify for SSI based on their medical need and your financial resources. For more information about SSI visit ssa.gov/prepare. Having more insurance may reduce your medical bills. If your insurance doesn’t cover all your bills, talk to someone from the hospital finance department about setting up a payment plan.
Last reviewed: April 2025