Cesarean section hospital stay, no complications in Des Moines, IA costs $36,533. Here's every hospital's price.
1 hospitals in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area publish a cash price for cesarean section hospital stay, no complications (MS-DRG 788). We read their files every month so you don't have to.
Across the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area, 1 hospitals list a cash price for cesarean section hospital stay, no complications (MS-DRG 788). The lowest is $36,533 at Mercyone Des Moines Medical Center, the median is $36,533 and the highest is $36,533.
The Des Moines, IA median of $36,533 is 206% above the national median of $11,922 across 256 US hospitals with a cash price for this code.
3 of these hospitals also publish the rates they negotiated with insurers, from $69 to $19,900. With insurance you pay a share of the negotiated rate, which is sometimes higher than the cash price; you may ask for the cash price instead.
The files behind these prices are dated between January 2026 and September 2026. 4 other hospitals in the metro area have no readable price for this code: some publish no file, some block automated reading, some leave the code out. They are listed below so you can call them.
Sorted by cash price
Hospital facility fee onlyDes Moines · 7 mi · File Mar 2026
Des Moines · 7 mi · File Jan 2026
What's in the price
The hospital facility fee for MS-DRG 788. The doctor, anesthesia and lab work usually bill separately.
Cash vs. insured
Cash is what you pay without insurance. With insurance you pay a share of the negotiated rate, which can be higher than cash. You may ask for the cash price.
What to say on the phone
"I'd like the self-pay price for MS-DRG 788, in writing, and whether it covers facility, physician and anesthesia."
About cesarean section hospital stay, no complications
MS-DRG 788 is the hospital stay for an uncomplicated cesarean birth: operating room, nursing, the mother's room for two to four nights, supplies and medications. About a third of US births are cesarean, and this DRG covers the uncomplicated ones.
What the price covers, and what it does not
The mother's stay only. Not included: the obstetrician (global package 59510), the anesthesiologist, the assistant surgeon, the newborn's own stay and pediatric care (billed to the baby), and laboratory tests. Plan for several separate bills if paying cash, and ask for each in advance.
Why prices vary
Cesarean stays vary two to four times between hospitals in the same area, and the gap between a cesarean and a vaginal delivery at the same hospital is usually 50 to 100 percent. Many hospitals offer a fixed self-pay maternity package that includes a cesarean if needed; it is often the best protection against surprise costs.
Questions to ask
- What is the self-pay price for DRG 788, and what is the newborn's stay?
- Is there a self-pay package that covers both vaginal and cesarean birth?
- What do anesthesia and the assistant surgeon cost?
Hospitals in Des Moines, IA without a price for this procedure
Listed so you know who to call. The reason is what we found on their website.
- Dallas County HospitalNo website on record
- Guthrie County HospitalNo website on record
- Madison County Health Care SystemNo website on record
- Mercyone Newton Medical Centercode not in file