CPT 59510 is the obstetric global package for a cesarean birth: routine prenatal care, the operation and postpartum care, billed by the obstetrician as one code. A hospital's listed price for it usually reflects a hospital-employed practice's professional package, not the hospital stay.

What the price covers, and what it does not

The package covers the clinician's prenatal visits, the cesarean itself and postpartum follow-up. Not included: the hospital stay for mother and baby (DRG 788 for an uncomplicated cesarean), the anesthesiologist, the assistant surgeon, ultrasounds, laboratory tests, the pediatrician's newborn care and any complications. A self-pay cesarean birth is the sum of several bills; ask for all of them in advance.

Why prices vary

Obstetric packages vary substantially between practices, and the hospital stay for a cesarean varies even more, often two to three times between hospitals in the same area. Many hospitals offer a bundled self-pay maternity price that covers the stay and the delivery.

Questions to ask

What is the self-pay price for 59510, and for the hospital stay (DRG 788)?
Is there an all-inclusive self-pay package?
Who bills anesthesia and the assistant surgeon, and at what price?

Cesarean delivery with prenatal and postpartum care near you