A recent Kaiser Family Foundation study found that the average cost of giving birth in the U.S. is $18,865 (including both vaginal and cesarean deliveries). A new Center for Improving Value in Health Care (CIVHC) data dive looks at the cost of labor and delivery in Colorado and how those costs compare across the state.
For the analysis of prices, CIVHC used its Shop for Care tool, a web based tool which enables users to compare prices by hospital or facility for a number of procedures and medical services. Colorado’s statewide vaginal delivery costs average $9,540, which is lower than the national average of $14,768. Similarly, a C-section in Colorado is less expensive and costs an average of $14,160 compared to $26,280 nationwide.
However, some hospital prices in Colorado are significantly above and below nationwide averages. The analysis found that in Colorado’s mountain resort towns, costs for both vaginal delivery and C-Sections tend to be notably higher than the rest of the state. Four mountain towns have some of the highest labor and delivery prices in the state.
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