It costs more than $20K to have a baby in California
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California ranks as one of the most expensive states to have a baby, according to FAIR Health.
Why it matters: Birth costs are just one of many financial burdens for new parents, with pediatrician and child care bills often following soon after.
By the numbers: The average total in-network cost of giving birth in California is about $20,400 for vaginal deliveries and $25,200 for C-sections, per data from FAIR, a national independent nonprofit.
- Out of network, it costs about $42,000 and $66,600 respectively.
- About 32% of California's babies are born through C-sections — a number that's been rising since 2020. San Diego County hospitals reported lower-than-average rates (20-24%).
How it works: The amounts in FAIR's Cost of Giving Birth Tracker include delivery, ultrasounds, lab work and more.
- They reflect total costs paid by patients and their insurance companies, as applicable.
- Insured patients' financial responsibilities are typically well below the total amount paid, with average out-of-pocket costs just under $3,000 in 2018-2020, per a 2022 Peterson-KFF analysis.
Between the lines: Black and Hispanic people paid more out of pocket for maternal care than Asian and white patients with the same insurance, per a study published this year in JAMA Health Forum.
- Medi-Cal pays for about 41% of births in California, and offers pregnancy benefits to low-income mothers, but those patients and babies face higher health risks.
The big picture: Nationally, the average in-network cost is $15,200 for vaginal deliveries and $19,300 for C-sections.
- For vaginal deliveries, Alaska has the highest average cost (about $29,200), followed by New York and New Jersey (both about $21,800).
- Alaska also has the highest average cost for C-sections ($39,500), followed by Maine ($28,800) and Vermont ($28,700) and then Oregon.
What they're saying: Many factors drive the differences between states, FAIR Health's Rachel Kent tells Axios, including provider training levels, local salaries and costs of living, malpractice insurance costs, and insurers' bargaining power.
What to watch: Congressional lawmakers recently introduced two bills that would require private health insurance companies to fully cover childbirth and maternity care costs.