How much does it cost to have a baby?

This report compares prices of various hospital services and a few prescription drugs for the United States and a few other countries.  The data are for 2013 and are all reported in US dollars.  The US prices are consistently the highest except for cataract surgery and hip replacement, which are more expensive in Australia.

Here are some interesting US average data.  These represent average TOTAL HOSPITAL AND PHYSICIAN PRICES (allowed charges)  in the US.

• $10,002  normal delivery
• $15,240  Cesarean section
• $25,398  knee replacement
• $26,489  hip replacement
• $27,907  angioplasty
• $75,345  bypass surgery

Source: International Federation of Health Plans.  2013 Comparative Price Report: Variation in Medical and Hospital Prices by Country, [2014?].  The ultimate source for the US data is the Truven MarketScan Research databases.  Click here for access to the report: http://www.ifhp.com/s/2013-iFHP-FINAL-4-14-14.pdf Posted by AHA Resource Center (312) 422-2050, rc@aha.org