Local baby born into debt from day one

A local baby was born into debt from day one of his life.

His parents got a baffling bill from the hospital that they've been fighting for more than a year.

HIS LIFE.HIS PARENTS GOT A BAFFLING BILLFROM THE HOSPITAL AND THEY'VEBEEN FIGHTING IT FOR MORE THANA YEAR.IT TOOK 13 CHIEF INVESTIGATORDARCY SPEARS TO HELP END THEBATTLE THAT LEFT THESE NEWPARENTS RATTLED.(TAKEPKG) 6:03:23DARCY: WHATDO YOU THINK, JAX?

(HE MAKESSOUND IN RESPONSE)JAXSONKHALILZADEGAN CAN'T FINDTHE WORDS TO DESCRIBE WHAT IT'SLIKE HAVING ADULT-SIZED DEBTWHILE HE'S STILL IN DIAPERS.HAVINGA BABY'S EXPENSIVE, SURE.BUT JAXSON'S BIG DAY CAME WITHA BIGGER BILL THAN MOM AND DADEXPECTED.54:35STEVEN: IT PUT A BITTERTASTE ON A VERY SWEET MOMENT.AFTERBEING DELIVEREDVIAC-SECTIONAT SPRING VALLEYHOSPITAL, JAXSON SPENT A FEWPRECAUTIONARY DAYS IN THENEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT,WHICH STEVEN AND SAVANNAHBELIEVE WAS UNNECESSARY.BUT THEY THOUGHT SAVANNAH'SINSURANCE POLICY WITH HEALTHPLAN OF NEVADA WOULD COVERWHATEVER SERVICESTHEY GOT UNDERHER $6,600 DEDUCTIBLE.47:27STEVEN: CALLED THEINSURANCE COMPANY, WE'RE HAVINGA CHILD, IS THIS WHAT IT'SGOING TO COST?

THEY SAID YES,$6,600.ONE DEDUCTIBLE FOR THE MOTHERAND THAT WILL COVER YOUREXPENSES.AND WE WERE HAPPY ABOUT THATAND THAT'S WHAT WE EXPECTED ANDPLANNED FORWHEN WE GOT INTO IT.HPN'SAGREEMENT OF COVERAGESTATES, "THE SUBSCRIBER'SNEWBORN NATURAL CHILD ISCOVERED FOR THE FIRST 31 DAYSFROM BIRTH." WHICHSTEVEN SAYSHE RE-CONFIRMED WHEN JAXSON WASIN THE NICU.48:18STEVEN: IS THERE ANYTHINGWE SHOULD KNOW?

IS IT JUST THEONE DEDUCTIBLE AND HE'S COVEREDFOR 30DAYS UNDER THEMOTHER'SPLAN?

AND THEY SAID YES,THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.NOTEXACTLY, AS IT TURNS OUT.48:30STEVEN: AFTER WE CHECKEDOUT AND OF COURSE THEYPROCESSED THE BILLS, WE ENDEDUP WITH TWO DEDUCTIBLES: $6,600FOR JAX AND $6,600 FORSAVANNAH.DARCY:HE WAS CHARGED TO BEBORN?

STEVEN:THE DAY HE CAMEOUT OF THE WOMB THEY SAID, HEREYOU GO, JAX, YOU'RE ON THEPOLICY, $6,600.THISAFTER SAVANNAH HAD ALMOSTMET HER OWN DEDUCTIBLE.49:28DARCY: YOU'RE PLANNING FORA FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS OUT OFPOCKET ATTHIS TIME.SAVANNAH:YEAH.I DON'T KNOW.IT'S KIND OF A MIND-BLOW.STEVENSAYS WHEN THEY ADDEDJAXSON TO THE FAMILY PLAN, ASERIES OF GLITCHES WITH THENEVADA HEALTH EXCHANGEBACKDATED THE BABY'S POLICY TOTHE DAY HE WAS BORN INSTEAD OFKICKING IN A MONTH LATER WHENHIS COVERAGE UNDER SAVANNAH'SPOLICY WOULD'VE EXPIRED.SHOULD BEAN EASY FIX BUTINSTEAD: 50:56STEVEN: A LOT OFWALLS AND A LOT OF RED TAPE.WE'VE TRIED TO TAKE ALLOFTHENECESSARY STEPS.ANYTHING, THEY FILED THISFORMAL COMPLAINT FOR REVIEW BYTHE NEVADA DIVISION OFINSURANCE.51:26STEVEN: THEY GAVE ME BACKA LETTER SAYING WE TALKED WITHHEALTH PLAN OF NEVADA, THEYALREADY DID AN INTERNALINVESTIGATION AND THEY SAIDEVERYTHING'S FINE.DARCY:IS EVERYTHING FINE,STEVE?

STEVEN:NO.NO.IT'S NOT FINE.NEITHER,HE SAYS, IS THEOVERSIGHT.55:36STEVEN: WHEN WE GO TO THEGOVERNMENT WHO'S SUPPOSED TO BEWATCHING OVER OUR INSURANCECOMPANIES, THEY RELY ON THEINSURANCE COMPANIES TO POLICETHEMSELVES.STATERECORDS SHOW HPN TOLD THEINSURANCE DIVISION"NEWBORNBABIES HAVE THEIR OWNCOST SHARE AMOUNTS (CO-PAY,CALENDAR YEAR DEDUCTIBLE) WHENTHEIR CLAIMS ARERECEIVED/PROCESSED." STEVENWASTOLD THEY COULD APPEAL, BUTONLY ONCE.AND SINCE THEY'D ALREADYUNSUCCESSFULLY CHALLENGED THENICU CHARGES, THEY WERE OUT OFOPTIONS.55:30STEVEN: BEING THE LITTLEGUY AGAINST THE LARGECORPORATION, IT'S NOT VERYFAIR.THAT'SWHERE 13 INVESTIGATESCOMES IN.WE ASKED THE INSURANCE DIVISIONWHY THE FAMILY HAD TO PAY TWICEFOR JAXSON'S BIRTH.IN A STATEMENT, THEY SAID, INPART "...THIS DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE ANINSTANCE OF THE BABY BEINGBILLED FOR ITS BIRTH, BUTRATHER FOR MEDICALSERVICESREQUIRED AFTER THE BIRTH."ITSTILL SEEMED LIKE FUZZY MATHTO STEVEN.49:08STEVEN: HE'S COVERED FORTHE FIRST 31 DAYS UNDER THEMOTHER'S PLAN.DARCYSTAND-UP OUTSIDE SVH: WETRIED TO QUESTION SPRING VALLEYABOUT THAT, BUT THEY WOULDN'TTALK, SAYING FEDERAL PRIVACYLAWS PREVENT THEM FROMDISCUSSING SPECIFIC BILLING ORPATIENT ISSUES.WHEN WE SAID WE HAD A HIPAAWAIVER SIGNED BY THE FAMILY,REACHED OUT TO THEM.COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR LISACONTRERAS DECLINED AN ON-CAMERAINTERVIEW BUT SAID, "WHILE THECLAIM WAS PROCESSEDAPPROPRIATELY UNDER THEMOTHER'S AND NEWBORN'SBENEFITS, WE ARE WAIVINGTHEHUNDRED DOLLAR WEIGHT LIFTED,THE FAMILY IS FREE TO ENJOY THEDAYS LEADING UP TO THEIR SON'SFIRST BIRTHDAY.8:50THERE WE GO!

(PUTTING J ONSWING) ANDTHE CHANCE TOCELEBRATE.../NAT POPSWINGS 13:37THERE'SMOM!/...DEBT FREE./NAT POP/DARCY SPEARS, 13INVESTIGATESA RESTAURANT THATS BEEN PART OFTHE LAS VEGAS LANDSCAPE FOR