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How Much Does it Cost to Have a Baby in Utah?
Utah is a unique state.
Because there are so many babies born in Utah, it is nearly impossible for the individual/family health insurers to cover maternity charges. If they did, they would be out of business, or everyone would be absorbing the costs in the premiums.
Individual/family health insurers in Utah have deductibles for maternity related charges ranging from $5,000 per pregnancy to $7,500 or even $10,000 per pregnancy. It’s no wonder that the cost of having a baby in Utah is such a hot topic. You will likely be paying most of the charges out-of-pocket. Determining what the costs are going to be can help you plan for your next baby.
Normal Vaginal Delivery
In Utah, in 2007, the average cost for a vaginal delivery was $4,792. In major or extreme normal vaginal delivery cases, the average cost jumped to $8,089. This doesn’t include the physician’s professional fees throughout the pregnancy, just the hospital charges.
Cesarean Section Delivery
In Utah, in 2007, the average cost for a ceserean section was $8,243. In major or extreme cesear section cases, the average cost jumped to $14,552. Again, this doesn’t include the physician’s professional fees throughout the pregnancy, just the hospital charges.
The Least Expensive Hospitals (for normal vaginal deliveries)
* Beaver Valley Hospital
* Dixie Regional Hospital
* Garfield Memorial Hospital
* Gunnison Valley Hospital
* Heber Valley Hospital
* Kane County Hospital
* Logan Regional Hospital
* Sevier Valley Medical Center
* Uintah Basin Medical Center
* Valley View Memorial Hospital
The Most Expensive Hospitals (for normal vaginal deliveries)
* Davis Hospital & Medical Center
* Intermountain Medical Care
* LDS Hospital
* Mountain View Hospital
* Mountain West Medical Center
* Pioneer Valley Hospital
* Jordan Valley
* Saint Marks Hospital
* Salt Lake Regional Medical Center
* Timpanogos Regional Hospital
* University Health Care
So what about quality? Does going with a less expensive hospital mean that you sacrifice quality and safety?
Not neccesarily.
While one of the least expensive hospitals, Beaver Valley Hospital, had a higher than average rate of vaginal tears (without tools) of 10%, Heber Valley Medical Center, Dixie Regional Medical Center, and Valley View Medical Center all had below average rates of vaginal tearing (with and without tools) and below average incidents of newborn injuries.
On the other hand, some of the most expensive hospitals had higher than average rates of tearing and newborn inujuries.
Although looking at the average maternity costs in Utah can provide a rule of thumb for how much you may end up spending out of pocket, doing some hospital-specific research could pay off in the end.
Download the full report “Maternity Charges and Safety in Utah 2007“, provided and written by the Utah Department of Health. Find out how each hospital stacks up. This is a great planning tool and an accurate way to predict costs and safety.
by Jared Balis
Utah Insurance Advisors
