A man refused to help pay for his wife's $8K hospital bill after giving birth —...

It’s a simple fact of living in the United States: Painful health care costs come up out of nowhere like a twisted ankle or a bump on the head. Then there’s the bizarre case of a father hitting the roof over the cost of his wife’s baby delivery: an example of sticker shock turning into relationship shock.

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A 32-year-old mom told the Reddit subforum “Am I the A-Hole” she’s now considering “ending her marriage.” The woman received an epidural, along with support services to help her give birth: nursery time, a lactation consultant, postpartum supplies, and even hospital food and blood tests. Necessities, right?

Not if you’re her husband, they ain’t. Her hubby took one look at the $8,000 bill and derided her for accepting such “luxury” treatment. He even claimed she “caved” after getting an epidural in her 24th hour of labor — even though he’d encouraged it at the time. And so he demanded the charge come out of her personal savings because “he shouldn’t have to pay for all of [her] extra requests.”

Is a few thousand dollars worth 14 years of a relationship down the drain? Even if this example tops them all, it’s undeniable that money fights permeate most if not all marriages, especially when a big bill blindsides the couple. The lesson here is simple: Preparation for unexpected medical costs matters. Here’s how you can get your finances in order before trouble strikes.

Use a health savings account

The Health Savings Account (HSA) is a tax-advantaged funding source that helps you save up for medical expenses. Contributions are tax-deductible and withdrawals for qualified medical expenses are tax-free, so you’ll save money the instant funds leave the account to pay a bill.