Teresa Joseph

Boca Raton Mother Charged Fee For Baby Delivery in Car

The family says it received a bill for more than $7,000, which included the delivery room charge

A Boca Raton woman who gave birth inside her car on a hospital parking lot is being billed a delivery room fee even though she never made it into the delivery room.

It wasn't the way Paula D'Amore and her husband planned on bringing her baby into the world.

"We drove up, my husband ran out and I said she's crowning and her head came out," D'Amore told NBC affiliate WPTV.

D'Amore said her husband caught the baby's head and nurses ran out to help with the rest of the delivery. Baby Daniella was born in a Jeep Grand Cherokee in the fire lane outside Boca Raton Regional Hospital.

Seven months later, the family says it received a bill for more than $7,000, which included the delivery room charge.

"I knew that I was responsible for the $5,000 deductible. 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," said D'Amore.

The mother said she planned for the birthing costs, but thought that since she never made it to the delivery room, the hospital would adjust the bill. D'Amore noted she did deliver the placenta in the hospital.

A spokesperson for Boca Raton Regional Hospital told WPTV the administration has no comment at this time.

Thomas Chakurda, the hospital's vice president for marketing, told the Sun Sentinel in an emailed statement that Boca Regional has reviewed D'Amore's concerns, and deemed the billing was suitable.

"The hospital appropriately bills for the medical services and care it provides and has determined that the level of care provided and billing were appropriate in this instance," Chakurda said.

D'Amore argues the hospital is "basically saying that everything was billed appropriately."

She says she is going to pay the bill even though it says the baby was delivered in the car prior to arrival.

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