Private vs. Public Cord Blood Banking

Private vs Public banking. Which is right for your family? 
At NECBB, we get a lot of questions about Private vs. Public Cord Blood Banking. Obviously we are a Private Cord Blood Bank, and because of that, we would love to be the private bank to earn your business. But we are educators first and firmly believe both Private and Public banks are a much better alternative than simply discarding your child’s Umbilical Cord Blood. So, here are a few differences between private and public banking including their pros and cons that will hopefully help make this very personal decision easier for you and your family:

 

Private BankingPublic Banking
Private banks like NECBB, allow families to store their baby's cord blood for themselves and their loved ones. Being that they are privately funded, when a family chooses to store their cord blood privately, they own those stem cells. This means that you and only you have access to the use of those stem cells. When you enroll, you secure the processing and storage of those cells until the day you may need them arrives. NECBB provides NO INTEREST payment plans to help ease the burden of the processing fee.Public banks unlike private banks, require no cost for your donation or storage. They are a good option if you are not able to afford to privately store your child's cord blood. Since they are both publicly and privately funded they are able to preform the collection and storage at no charge to your family. However, there is no guarantee that your child's Stem Cells will be available to them should they be needed. There is also a substantial fee to transfer the cells in the future should they be available.
Pros of private banking:Pros of public banking:
  • You own your babies stem cells and therefore decide who can use them.
  • Storing your babies stem cells for their use or a family members use makes it less likely you will need to search for a match from an unrelated donor.
  • Most cord blood banks will pay for the cost of transporting the stored blood to the medical facility and NECBB does not charge for the use of releasing those stem cells.
  • Cord blood collection and storage is provided at no cost to the family.
  • Since the stem cells are donated they are available to the public and to anyone who may need them.
  • Can be used for clinical research for the advancements of stem cell uses.
  • Cons:Cons:
  • There is a fee for the collection, processing and storage.
  • In some cases their is a chance that the stem cells contain the disease that is being treated.
  • The processing and storage fee's are not covered by insurance. However, your insurance may cover the costs of processing and storage if the stem cells are used for therapies. Check with your insurance provider.
  • Some hospitals charge for the cost of collection depending on the state.
  • Annual storage fee of $130-$175 if you choose to pay annually.
  • Public banks do not pay for the transport of your stem cells if they are needed for transplant.
  • If your child needs their stem cells it can cost on average $30,000+ for the release of your stem cells for transplant.
  • Due to the processing and storage requirements a high number of donated cord blood units are discarded.
  • Due to it being a public bank the chance of your child's cord blood being available to you if needed is unlikely.
  • Some hospitals charge for the cost of collection depending on the state.
  • As you can see both public and private banking have their pros and cons. Make sure to speak to your doctor or midwife about cord blood banking. If you have any questions about New England Cord Blood Bank and our pricing please reach out to us at 774-843-2965 M-F 8:00am-5:00pm EST. We wish you well during your pregnancy and congratulations on becoming parents!

    NECBB Saving Cord Blood,Saving Lives.