South Dakota Families Face Steep Bills For Childbirth And Cesarean Deliveries

There is no doubt that welcoming a new baby into the world is one of the greatest joys to experience. But the price tag that comes with the blessed event is another story.

Especially in South Dakota.

A new study from Money Geek shows that maternity bills in the Mount Rushomere State are among the highest in the nation. South Dakota is one of only five states where out-of-pocket costs for childbirth top $2,500.

1. Nebraska $2,685
2. Oklahoma $2,598
3. South Dakota $2,577
4. Texas $2,518
5. Tennessee $2,507
6. Minnesota $2,486
7. Alaska $2,473
8. Idaho $2,435
9. Montana $2,420
10. Georgia $2,330

South Dakota hospitals are also among the top three in the nation where cesarean births cost double over a traditional delivery.

Cesarean Mark-up Rate vs. Traditional Delivery

• Nebraska: +126%
• Wyoming: +110%
• South Dakota: +104%

State figures come from a 2020 analysis of out-of-pocket childbirth costs for people with employer-sponsored insurance. State-level childbirth cost differences come down mainly to price, not volume. For traditional births, what hospitals charge and what insurers have negotiated drive most of the difference. Some hospitals and metro areas charge two to four times more than others for comparable deliveries.

READ MORE: South Dakota Leads The Nation In Drug Arrest Rates 

Figures are what hospitals billed, not what insurers or families paid. They cover facility charges only and exclude fees from physicians, anesthesiologists, and other clinicians.