The story of a hospital apparently charging a Utah mom nearly $40 to hold her baby after birth has gone viral after the family posted the delivery room bill online.
Amused by the bill, the baby's father Ryan Grassley posted a picture of the bill on Reddit this week commenting that he was charged to hold his baby. That post set off a flurry of outrage and consternation on the website with many people sharing their own stories of bizarre medical charges.
Grassley said Wednesday that he wasn't mad but just thought people would get a laugh.
Meanwhile, he also started a GoFundMe campaign to raise the $40 for the bill, adding that "Any money donated over the $39.35 will be put towards a vasectomy because I never want to go though these sleepless new baby nights again."
(halfthrottle/Reddit)
Utah Valley Hospital spokeswoman Janet Frank says the fee wasn't for Grassley to hold his baby, but to have an additional nurse in the room for the c-section to ensure mom and baby were safe.
The Hospital in Provo had charged the family exactly $39.35 for "skin to skin" contact with their son after a cesarean section on Sept. 4.