Caesarean Section Procedure Can Vary in Price From 6k to 60k—At the Same Hospital

Women who undergo a caesarean section at the Van Ness site of the Pacific Medical Center in California might be surprised to find that the cost of their procedure may be vastly different from that of another woman in the same hospital. Costs range from $6,241 to $60,584 for this particular procedure. The discrepancy in price comes from the rates that hospitals negotiate with payers. A recent healthcare bill forcing hospitals to disclose their prices has meant a sudden influx of data from around 6000 hospitals.

According to Niall Brennan of the Health Care Cost Institute, “It is shining a light on the insanity of U.S. healthcare pricing,” adding, “It’s at the center of the affordability crisis in American healthcare.” Read more here.

(Source: Mathews et al., The Wall Street Journal, 2/11/21)