Wide Variation Found In Hospital Facility Costs For Maternity Stays Involving Low-Risk Childbirth

• DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2014.1088
• Publication Date: 2015-07-07T19:59:19Z
• Authors: Xiao Xu; Aileen Gariepy; Lisbet S. Lundsberg; Sangini S. Sheth; Christian M. Pettker; Harlan M. Krumholz; Jessica L. Illuzzi
• Keywords: Maternity care

Childbirth is the leading cause of hospital admission in United States, yet there has been little research on variation costs associated with childbirth. Using data from 2011 Nationwide Inpatient Sample, we characterized estimated facility hospitalizations for low-risk childbirth across US hospitals. We found that average cost per maternity stay ranged $1,189 to $11,986 (median: $4,215), a 2.2-fold difference between 10th and 90th percentiles. Estimated were higher at hospitals rates cesarean delivery or serious maternal morbidity. Hospitals having government nonprofit ownership; being rural hospital; relatively low volumes childbirths, proportions childbirths covered by Medicaid, long stays also had significantly costs. The large among suggests practices might be an important contributor may opportunities reduction. safe reduction deliveries, increasing coordination care, emphasizing value care through new payment systems reforms help reduce States.