New Parents Denied Coverage by United Healthcare, Then Sent Shocking Letter

A couple were shocked to receive a memo from United Healthcare informing them that the insurance company would not be covering the cost of the last two days of their twins' stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

The letter informed the parents that, since their daughter had technically been eligible for discharge two days earlier than their son, yet the hospital chose to keep her in the NICU, then the hospital would be covering the cost of the last two days.

The coverage was denied by United Healthcare, though not actually billed to the family.

In a bizarre twist that makes the story more shocking, however, the letter was not addressed to the parents.

It was addressed to their newborn baby.

"Sadly, I guess it is appropriate that our preemie baby's first experience in the world is having it’s health care coverage denied," said the father, New York-based comedian Blake Wexler, as TikTok user blakewexler.

In the letter, the child's name was not even included, with the message starting "Dear Baby Girl Twin A.," seemingly recognizing that the addressee was an infant. The episode highlighted widespread concerns about how insurers communicate with patients during critical medical moments.

UnitedHealthcare later apologized, telling Newsweek in a statement that the couple are "are not responsible for the cost of the final two days of their baby's NICU stay." The company has also shared that they have volunteered to assume the costs of the stay anyways, despite not technically being liable.

Before that apology, however, Wexler’s viral clip had been watched 7.6 million times within a day online.

"If you thought that was inhumane, you're right," he told his almost 18,000 followers.

TikTok contributors were similarly appalled by the insurance company's policy and process of informing the family amid 21,000 comments.

"THIS HAPPENED TO ME! They said her NICU stay wasn't ‘medically necessary,’ like she got elective surgery or something," a fellow parent in a similar situation shared, pointing out the importance of treating a premature infant in intensive care.

"This happened to me. Baby A was covered, but Baby B was not because they said I already had a baby that day," another parent recalled.

Astronomical Cost

Others were upset that Wexler and his wife invaded their child's privacy.

"I can't believe you just opened Baby Twin Girl A's mail like that," a pundit joked.

For parents of babies in the NICU, insurance coverage can be life-changing, as the cost of treating a baby in the unit can be astronomical, especially for longer stays.

"A child between 18 and 24 months of age who was admitted to the highest-level NICU (Level IV), an intensive care unit reserved for newborns with complex neonatal conditions, incurs an average total cost of $117,878, including $3,265 in out-of-pocket expenses," according to Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker.

When faced with these costs, many parents have no choice but to turn to their insurance companies. If these companies refuse coverage, however, the results can be devastating.

Appealing Denials

Luckily, research has shown that in most cases where NICU coverage was denied, the decision can be appealed.

"A study by the Government Accountability Office found that many denials can be traced to largely trivial bureaucratic issues, such as missing form or an incorrect billing code," reveals Dr. Eugene Mahmoud in a paper on the subject in Neonatology Today.

"When patients challenged the insurer's denials, about half of the rejected claims ended up being covered."

Though not a surefire way to ensure coverage, this fact may be helpful for Wexler and other parents in his situation.

‘We are truly sorry’

In its statement to Newsweek, United Healthcare said it was working to rectify the situation with Wexler and his family.

“We understand the Wexler family’s frustration about their experience with us, and we are truly sorry that we added confusion at a time when they needed clarity and support. We have reached out to the family to explain that they are not responsible for the cost of the final two days of their baby's NICU stay.”

The insurance company also acknowledged the impact of the letter.

“We regret how we initially shared this information and we are committing to improving how we communicate-especially with new parents navigating moments like this-moving forward,” the company told Newsweek.

“We hope the Wexler twins are home now, settling in, and that the whole family is finding moments of rest, joy and healing together in the days ahead.”

2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.

This story was originally published June 4, 2026 at 11:59 AM.