A Florida woman who unexpectedly gave birth in a hospital parking lot said she was surprised months later when she was charged for a delivery room, according to a WPTV report.
The woman, Paula D'Amore, and her husband headed toward Boca Raton (Fla.) Regional Hospital last April for the birth of their child. However, the baby was already on its way by the time they arrived. Ms. D'Amore's husband and nurses helped with the delivery, and the baby girl, Daniella, was born in the fire lane in the hospital's parking lot, according to the report.
"To me, it was beautiful," Ms. D'Amore said in the report. "It didn't matter if it was in my house or in the car, or in the hospital. It didn't matter."
Seven months later, Ms. D'Amore received a bill for more than $7,000 — the delivery room fee — even though she never made it to the delivery room, according to the report. She said she did deliver the placenta in the hospital.
A Boca Raton Regional spokesperson said in the report that the administration has no comment on the matter.
"They are basically saying that everything was billed appropriately," Ms. D'Amore said in the report.
The new mother said in the report that she planned for the birthing costs prior to delivery, but since she never made it to the delivery room, she thought the hospital would adjust her bill.
"I knew that I was responsible for the $5,000 deductible," she said in the report. "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."
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