HOW MUCH WILL I PAY?

How much you may have to pay depends on many things including whether or not you have health insurance. If you do have insurance and you meet your health insurance company requirements, they will likely cover some of the costs. There may be a deductible – the amount you have to pay before the health insurance company starts paying. And there may be a co-pay or some amount that you and the insurance plan share.

This guide reports on the average amount each hospital charged. For a vaginal delivery, the average hospital charge was $6,023. Average hospital charges for cesarean delivery were $11,215.

Your doctor and hospital may provide a special rate for your health insurance company. This is called an allowed amount. Allowed amounts can be much lower that the hospital average charges. In Virginia, health insurance companies reported their 2008 average allowed amounts to VHI. For vaginal delivery, it was $4,600. For cesarean deliveries, the average allowed amount was just about $7,300.

The charts below show how hospitals differ in their average charges and the health insurance companies average allowed amount.

If you do not have a health insurance plan, talk to your doctor and the hospital early in your pregnancy to learn how much you may have to pay. You may be billed full charges or you may be able to pay less. If the hospital or doctor’s office agrees to a payment plan or a lower charge, get the agreement in writing. Make sure you know whether that amount may change if more care is needed.

Medicaid is a government program for people with low incomes. To see if you can get Medicaid coverage, check with your local Department of Social Services. Or you can visit the Medicaid web site at http://www.dmas.virginia.gov/rcp-home.htm.

Previous | Next

Cardiac Reports
Now Available