How much does it cost to have a baby in California? Here’s what hospitals charge for birth

California is one of the most expensive states to have a child in the country. As of 2022, it topped the list for out-of-network cesarean section costs reaching almost $50,000 per delivery.

The national median cost for a natural child birth ranges from $12,000 to $27,000, according to Fair Health, an independent non-profit that “collects data for and manages the nation’s largest database of privately billed health insurance claims.” However, premiums are largely determined by a persons insurance status.

The insurance data website compiled birthing costs from the September 2022 release of vaginal delivery and C-section data for all 50 states. It gathered median charge values for every state based on the amount a patient is billed and “the total fee negotiated between an insurance plan and a provider for an in-network service.”

“For the more than half million women who give birth at California hospitals every year, medical costs are difficult to predict and can result in differences of thousands of dollars among facilities even in the same geographic area,” said researchers in a UC San Francisco study.

Here’s how California’s birthing costs compared to the rest of the nation:

California birthing costs

California birthing rates consistently ranked in the top five most expensive cost bracket, when compared to national averages.

New York ranked the most expensive state for out-of-network natural deliveries averaging $37,935 for expecting mothers, according to data from Fair Health. For out of-of-network C-section deliveries, California topped the list averaging $49,078.

For in-network deliveries, Alaska’s premiums were the most expensive. Vaginal deliveries averaged $25,525 and C-section deliveries averaged $25,518.63.

Below is a comparison of California costs, according to data from Fair Health. Totals reflect the median costs including charge amount and fees negotiated with an insurance plan:

What is included in a delivery service?

What services are you paying for when your baby is being delivered in a hospital?

According to Fair Health delivery premiums include the following: pharmacy, nursery, labor and delivery room, medical and surgical supplies, room and board for the mother, anesthesia, fetal non-stress tests, ultrasounds, laboratory work and breast pump.

This story was originally published August 7, 2023 at 5:00 AM with the headline "How much does it cost to have a baby in California? Here’s what hospitals charge for birth."