Having a baby is expensive across the United States; a new study from Kaiser Family Foundation found that the average cost of giving birth is $18,865 (including both vaginal and cesarean deliveries). This month’s data dive looks at the cost of labor and delivery in Colorado and how those costs compare across the state.
With CIVHC’s Shop for Care tool, users can compare prices by hospital or facility for imaging services and common procedures, including vaginal and cesarean deliveries. Colorado’s statewide vaginal delivery costs average $9,540, which is lower than the national average of $14,768. Similarly, a C-section in Colorado is less expensive and costs an average of $14,160 compared to $26,280 nationwide.
However, taking a deeper look at specific facilities across Colorado shows some hospital prices significantly above and below nationwide averages. For example, in two of Colorado’s mountain resort towns, you’ll pay as high as $40,600 for a C-section (Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs) and nearly $19,000 for a vaginal delivery (UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center in Steamboat Springs). The lowest cost facility for a C-section is just over $13,000 at Denver Health Medical Center, and the lowest price facility for a vaginal delivery is roughly $9,000 at San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center in rural Alamosa, Colorado.
In general, in Colorado’s mountain resort towns, costs for both vaginal delivery and C-Sections tend to be notably higher than the rest of the state. Four mountain towns have some of the highest labor and delivery prices in the state.
To see labor and deliver prices along with quality rankings for hospitals in your community, visit our Shop for Care tool and for a full list of hospitals, fill out a short request to receive full Shop For Care Excel data.