The US is the most expensive nation in the world in which to have a baby – and it may factor into thousands of bankruptcies each year

By Jessica Glenza in New York for TheGuardian.com, Jan. 16

[....] It’s nearly impossible to put a price tag on giving birth in America, since costs vary dramatically by state and hospital. But one 2013 study by the the advocacy group Childbirth Connection found that, on average, hospitals charged $32,093 for an uncomplicated vaginal birth and newborn care, and $51,125 for a standard caesarean section and newborn care. Insurance typically covers a large chunk of those costs, but families are still often on the hook for thousands of dollars [....]

[....] Despite these high costs, the US consistently ranks poorly in health outcomes for mothers and infants [....]

(I can think of one answer: jobs jobs jobs, medical industrial complex. Like in malpractice insurance agents and underwriters for Ob/Gyn and anesthiologists, not to mention the lawyers that win cases against them, state of the art imaging machine maintenance men, ambulance drivers, health insurance call centers and paper pushers, software billing systems programmers, pharmaceutical and hospital supplies sales persons etc., etc.....Lots of people getting a piece of that pie; start ruthlessly cutting the artificially inflated prices and they lose their jobs.)