The Heartbreak And Cost Of Losing A Baby In America

Every year, more than 300,000 U.S. families have infants who require advanced medical care in neonatal intensive care units.

Specialized treatments and round-the-clock care rack up enormous bills for parents as they try to navigate their baby's care. And in the worst case scenarios, some families are left with millions of dollars in medical bills long after their child has passed.

We talk to Kaiser Health News correspondent Lauren Weber about her reporting on how steep medical bills have impacted families and what resources are available for parents with infants in the NICU.

We also hear from Kingsley Raspe about the bills that piled up from treatments for his daughter, Sterling, and the heartbreak of dealing with insurers after she passed away at eight months old.

In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

This episode was produced by Elena Burnett and Jonaki Mehta. It was edited by Bridget Kelley, Christopher Intagliata and Jane Greenhalgh. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.