A study released today by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that out-of-pocket costs for maternity care varies widely among consumer-directed health plans.
The study, Maternity Care and Consumer-Driven Health Plans, prepared by researchers at the Georgetown Health Policy Institute and Kaiser, found great variation among CDHPs compared to traditional health plans in the amount of potential out-of-pocket expenses a family could face. Since the cost of maternity care varies by the type and nature of the delivery, cost estimates were developed for three different birth scenarios based on recommended clinical practice guidelines. The study also explored other factors that affect family costs including coverage for prenatal care, transparency and limits in health care coverage, and predictability of costs.
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Read Executive Summary