How much does a hospital baby delivery cost?

Question

My husband and I are trying to conceive #1 and we're trying to financially plan out the cost of delivery as much as possible. Right now we need to know how much a hospital delivery costs so I can figure out if we should go with my current cheap but crappy coverage insurance or my husband's expensive but good coverage insurance. So what I would like is the cost of vaginal, Cesarean, and Midwife deliveries. Any other pertinant info would be great as well.

Answer 1

Here the bill for just newborn care in the first 24 hours was 972.00.

That didn't include the hearing screening and some blood work.

It also didn't include the stay for me.

I don't know what it all costed together. But I imagine around $3-4 grand.

I only know about the newborn care cost because they sent me a bill before her insurance was active. It was for 1300.00 for stuff just for her.

Answer 2

I live in Indiana and I delivered 4 weeks ago, (today actually!! :D) and I had a traditional hospital birth, delivered vaginally, had an epidural and spent 3 and a half days in the hospital.  It came to a grand total of 21K believe it or not!  Crazy!  But he's worth it!!  I don't know how much my payment is going to be as I havn't gotten the bill yet but thats what the grand total came to.

I would go with good insurance for the "just in cases."

Answer 3

i had a vaginal delivery, with an epidural (that went bad and had to get it 3 times), also had pitocin, and was at the hospital over night, for 2 nights.

it cost about 10000 for the hospital and 2500 for the anesthesiologist.  so what wouldve cost about 12500, 13000... my payment to the hospital after insurance was only 400 and for the anesthetics - 200.  

keep in mind you'll also need insurance for your baby, if not for anything serious, you'll still need to have a pediatrician there to evaluate him or her, and for medical visits and checkups for the rest of his or her life! : )

but depending on your income, you may be able to qualify for kidcare or some other medical insurance funded by the government, making labor and delivery completely free of charge to you! (a couple friends of mine have that, and i wish i wouldve!) :)

GOOD LUCK AND CONGRATS!  

Answer 4

I have crappy insurance, and ended up paying only 600 after everything.  But without the insurance it would have been around 10,000.  I would call your insurance company and ask what they cover.  Because you also need ot make sure your appointments will be covered.  

Answer 5

I live in WI and just had a baby 5 weeks ago.  Without insurance the hospital stay for me, which includes prenatal care, was about $4500.  That didn't include the newborn exam for the baby.  The newborn exam was almost $400.  We have a plan with a $2000 deductible so we had to pay that and then everything else was covered.  By the way delivery was vaginal.  I would say go with the good coverage!

Answer 6

dk sorry

in canada its free

Answer 7

My total cost was around 25,000 for me (three days, vaginal delivery, induced with pitocin) and the baby (circ, no other medical issues) which included my 4 ultrasounds, all ob visits, and all post visits.

After insurance, I paid about 2,000 (including the additional cost for a private room not covered by my plan).

I'd go with the better insurance.  You can always switch to the less expensive lower coverage after you deliver.

Answer 8

You should be able to call your insurance and ask them what they will cover.

Answer 9

My situation isn't a very common one , but here's what our insurance company paid ( we only had to pay a single 15 dollar co-pay at my 6 week post partum check)

I was induced and hospitalized for three days- $ 18,000

My induction failed and I was sent home . 5 days later I went into labor on my own but was given Pitocin again because I failed to progress . My labor was 33 hours before I had an emergency C-section. The second stay was $23,000.

For my daughter, the cost of being at the hospital for two days ( she received no medications) was $5,000.

I'd would ALWAYS go for the better insurance. I am so thankful for my insurance and will never complain about paying for it!

Good luck TTC!

Answer 10

My c-section was $3800 but that didn't even include the hospital's bill for the surgery and staying in the hospital!  Go with the better insurance...it isn't cheap to have a baby!

Answer 11

I don't know, but you can save loads by using a home birth midwife or a birth center.  Look into it, it's not scary at all if you are educated and healthy.

Insurance may not cover it, but it's worth looking into.  I wanted to have a home birth, but I ended up choosing to have my baby at the military hospital here on post.  They don't have birth tubs, but it's free.

Answer 12

My kids were all free thanks to the Army!! I remember my cousin saying she paid something like $10,000 because her insurance sucked. I would definetly go with the better insurance. You never know if there are any complications or anything like that. Good Luck!!

Answer 13

Free unless you go to private hospital, then can cost thousands...

Answer 14

my bills for both my births (vaginal) were well over 12000, I paid about 1/2. go with the better insurance

Answer 15

I leave in Indiana and had a baby 8 months ago C-sec and my bill was13,000 and then you have the nersery bill which was 1,500 then if you have a boy and you choose to circumcise then that can range 200-500. natural birth usually start out at 5,000 it all depends on how everything goes during labor you can call your local hospital and they can give you the amounts they charge oh and also my ob charged for all my visits and his part of the surgery he was 960.00 like I said it all just depend on how everything goes.

Answer 16

with my first when it was all sad and done, and unexpected, i was induced, and then had to have an emergency c section, it was 38,000.  now this time, before we figured out our insurance situation they were quoting me about 25,000 including my repeat c section, VBACs are malpractice in ky, and that is including prenatel care.  now i had medicaid with my first....thank god!! because who can afford almost 40,000 for a birth??  we had insurance issues this time, and ended up having to get medicaid again, so this pregnancy and delivery will also be covered, completely.  i've paid about $400 which i can get back from the state if i want, but i'm not worried about it.  i feel fortunate enough to be able to use it.

Answer 17

These are some of the charges we got from our insurance company. They are on my EOB summery.

Maternity----3420.00

Private room---1456.00

Ancillaries--1527.89

Lab--521.00

Anesthesia --342.00

Xray/Nuclar med--252.30

Operating room--978.43

Operating room--3732.72

These are just some of the expenses of my C section

My baby had to stay for 6 days total because of premature delivery

Here are some of his charges--- they keep coming in the mail so I m sure there'll be more!

Intensive care--3794.00

Ancillaries--284.23

Lab--363.70

Intensive care--1762.00

Varies charges including circumcision

530.00

190.00

190.00

190.00

190.00

108.00

440.00

105.00

530.00

This is in the midwest in a fairly small town, so Im sure it would be different/more in larger hospitals.

Answer 18

mine was vaginal; and this includes none of the pre or post natal care; only the hospital stay when i delivered and related care while still there...

we have insurance and we have already paid almost 2000 out of pocket and the bills are still rolling in...it is ridiculous, i would hate to see what it would be without insurance or if we had had any serious complications...

IT AIN'T CHEAP, KIDDO..LOL

Answer 19

depends on where you live. if you dont have ins at all you can apply for medical for pregnancy only. and they have ins for the baby after. if you are private pay it can cost anywhere from 3,000 and up. you never know what can come up, usually its about 8,000 when its all said and done