C-section, with complications in South Dakota
MS-DRG 787: Cesarean section without sterilization with cc
South Dakota hospitals compared
Billed (list price)Actually paid (Medicare + patient)
| Hospital | City | Medicare stays | Billed | Paid | Cash price | Insurers (median) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanford Usd Medical Center | Sioux Falls | – | – | – | – | $12,802$10,334–$18,419 · 9 plans |
Medicare: CMS, 2024 (hospitals with 11 or more Medicare stays). Cash and insurer prices: hospitals' own price files, where read; insurer figures are commercial plans only, median and 10th–90th percentile across plans.
What it is
A cesarean section (C-section) is the delivery of a baby through a surgical cut in the abdomen and uterus. About one in three US births is a C-section. Medicare covers few births, so the Medicare figures here come from a small number of patients.
This page covers the middle level: patients who also had a complication or another condition that needed attention, but not a major one.
What to expect
The operation takes under an hour, usually with spinal anesthesia. The hospital stay is typically two to four days.
What moves the bill
Operating room and anesthesia charges, the length of stay, and any complications. The baby's care and the doctors' fees are billed separately.
General information, not medical advice.
Before you go
- Ask for an estimate. Hospitals must give uninsured and self-pay patients a written good-faith estimate before planned care.
- Check the network. Confirm that the hospital and the doctors are in your plan's network.
- Ask about financial help. Non-profit hospitals must have a financial assistance policy; many discount or forgive bills by income.
- Get an itemized bill. Compare it with the estimate and question anything you don't recognise.