Costs To Have a Baby With and Without Insurance

Having a baby is something that many young families dream of doing.

Every year, roughly 4 million women give birth in America. However, if you look at the data from the last 10 years, you’ll notice a decrease in the number of pregnancies. This may not just be because of changing ideals, but purely from the cost of giving birth.

The increasing cost to have a baby in America can prevent a lot of women from pursuing pregnancy. On average, most women will still pay $4,500 in out-of-pocket expenses to pay for her labor and delivery with insurance. If you’re one of the 5 percent of women who have an expected pregnancy, you could be expecting to pay even more to have a baby.

Having a Baby With Insurance 

Depending on which state you live in, having a baby costs an average of $6,963.26 for a vaginal birth with insurance. This can drastically change if you have to have a vaginal birth or a c-section. Having a c-section with insurance can cost an average of $10,328.42. If there are complications or need additional care, you can expect to receive a bill that can reach around $30,000.

Even with insurance, the average out-of-pocket expenses increased by 49 percent. Before you have a baby, remember to go over your health insurance policy to see what’s already covered, and see if you’ll need additional services. When you do find the right health insurance to fit you, ask yourself:

• How you want to give birth
• What kind of pregnancy plan you want and need
• If there are other potential risks to giving birth
• If you you’re covered for the first 3 months after you give birth
• If you have money to cover the out-of-pocket expenses 
• If you can handle unexpected costs and complications      

Even if you’re a perfectly healthy woman who can ideally give birth without a problem, unexpected complications happen all the time. In fact, the likelihood of a woman having a c-section has increased by 500 percent since the 70s.

In 2016, over a third of the women who did give birth had to have a c-section. And the cost to have a c-section is roughly 30 percent more than having a vaginal birth. Developing a birth plan as soon as possible will help you calculate the cost to have a baby.

Remember to pay attention to your plan’s co-pay, deductible, and coverage after the deductible is met. Speak with your insurance provider if you’re expecting or planning to have a baby and can help you plan all your costs. 

Having a Baby Without Insurance 

Having a “natural” birth without insurance can cost you an average of $12,485.57, and having a c-section without insurance can cost $17,217.72 on average.

Not everyone has insurance, especially if you cannot afford it, or are experiencing an expected pregnancy. There’s no need to panic if you are pregnant and don’t have insurance.

First, see if you qualify for medicare, or other forms of financial aid. If you don’t qualify, even having a small amount of insurance can save you thousands of dollars. Pregnancy services are covered under your Essential Health Benefits (EHB).

This means that you should be covered for some of the delivery and prescriptions as well as:

• Outpatient services 
• Inpatient services
• Newborn care

No matter what plan you choose, your EHB will cover a lot of the expenses. When you do shop for insurance, remember that having a plan with a lower premium will mean higher out-of-pocket expenses. This can be especially devastating if you end up having complications in your pregnancy. Develop a birthing plan, then speak to one of our partners at Quote Purple to see what plan will be best suited to your needs.

Having a baby can be incredibly fulfilling and joyous! Don’t let hospital costs take away from your childbirth experience. Tell us your tips you think first time parents should know in the comments below.