C-section delivery in Iowa
Below is what hospitals in Iowa charge if you pay cash, and the typical rate insurers negotiated.
Cash prices at 7 hospitals in Iowa run from $7,244 to $36,532. The typical hospital charges $12,869. Where a hospital sits on this scale matters more than the number alone:
typical: $12,869
Cheaper than most hospitalsPricier than most hospitals
18 hospitals. Sort by: Cash price ▲ · Negotiated median · Gross charge · Negotiated low
What these numbers mean.
Cash price is what the hospital lists for patients paying out of pocket.
Negotiated median is the middle of what insurance companies actually agreed to pay.
Gross charge is the sticker price — almost nobody pays it.
What you will actually pay is usually different from both numbers:
with insurance, your deductible, copay, or coinsurance decides what you owe —
the negotiated rate is what the insurer pays, not your bill.
A single line item may not be the whole cost: physician, anesthesia, pathology,
and facility fees can be billed separately.
Prices vary by hospital and change over time; always confirm with the hospital before you go.
| Hospital | Cash price | Where it sits | Insurance pays (typical) | Gross charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boone County Hospital IA · Price file July 27, 2026 | $7,244Insurance typically pays $7,244Sticker price $9,055 | Lowest price of any hospital | $7,244 | $9,055 |
| Myrtue Medical Center IA · Price file April 21, 2026 | $8,123Insurance typically pays $7,983Sticker price $14,005 | Cheaper than 83% of hospitals | $7,983 | $14,005 |
| Shenandoah Medical Center IA · Price file September 21, 2026 | $9,400Insurance typically pays $9,107Sticker price $14,462 | Cheaper than 67% of hospitals | $9,107 | $14,462 |
| Cass County Memorial Hospital IA · Price file June 1, 2026 | $12,869Insurance typically pays $8,751Sticker price $18,384 | Cheaper than 50% of hospitals | $8,751 | $18,384 |
| Orange City Area Health System IA · Price file September 23, 2026 | $15,725Insurance typically pays $15,725Sticker price $19,656 | Pricier than 67% of hospitals | $15,725 | $19,656 |
| Iowa Specialty Hospital - Clarion IA · Price file June 11, 2026 | $19,850Insurance typically pays $24,435Sticker price $33,084 | Pricier than 83% of hospitals | $24,435 | $33,084 |
| Mercyone Des Moines Medical Center IA · Price file March 31, 2026 | $36,532Insurance typically pays $7,180Sticker price — | Highest price of any hospital | $7,180 | — |
| St Lukes Regional Medical Center IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays $7,663Sticker price — | — | $7,663 | — |
| Unitypoint Health - Marshalltown IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays $7,663Sticker price — | — | $7,663 | — |
| Trinity Regional Medical Center IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays $7,663Sticker price — | — | $7,663 | — |
| Allen Hospital IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays $7,663Sticker price — | — | $7,663 | — |
| Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays $7,663Sticker price — | — | $7,663 | — |
| Finley Hospital IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays $7,663Sticker price — | — | $7,663 | — |
| Ottumwa Regional Health Center IA · Price file July 23, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $39,529 | — | — | $39,529 |
| Trinity Muscatine IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays $7,663Sticker price — | — | $7,663 | — |
| Jones Regional Medical Center IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays $7,663Sticker price — | — | $7,663 | — |
| Grinnell Regional Medical Center IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays $7,663Sticker price — | — | $7,663 | — |
| St Lukes Hospital IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays $7,663Sticker price — | — | $7,663 | — |
Procedure code 788. Prices are from each hospital's own published price file — see methodology.