How much do childbirth hospital bills cost?

Answer 1

This answer depends on so many factors: in which area of the country the person lives, how much the hospital charges for various services, whether or not the woman had a vaginal or caesarian birth, whether or not anesthesia was consulted (for an epidural or other medication), the length of the hospital stay, whether or not there are any complications, and the type of insurance the person has. Hospitals tend to charge a large sum, and the insurance companies agree to pay a certain portion of that. Most insurance companies make their subscribers pay a portion of the bill--sometimes this is a fixed amount per year, and other times, it is a percentage of the total (such as 20% of each hospitalization). It is not surprising to have a $10,000 bill for a completely normal, uncomplicated pregnancy; but again, insurance usually pays the majority of that. If a person does not have insurance, often it helps to discuss this with a hospital and the physicians who will be involved in advance and try to come to an agreement on how much she will be responsible for after the delivery. Hope this helps! Dr. B.