Who's paying for the 1.3 million c-sections yearly?

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29 October 2008 @ 11:14 am

In the month of September, I had a meeting with Congressman Christopher Shays of Connecticut. We discussed the high number of c-sections taking place in our state, as well as nationally, and what the Government as well as groups like ICAN can do to help and change that to make birth safer for mothers and babies. Well during that meeting I was promised some statistics on cesarean births paid for by medicaid as opposed to private insurance companies, and I received that information today.
The numbers are astonishing, to make sure you sit down!

In The United States as a whole, 40% of all c-sections that take place is being paid for by the government through medicaid. Yes, 40%!
How many are actually being paid for by private insurance companies? 54%.

That is a HUGE number of c-sections that the government is footing the bill for.
In a country where only 10-15% of c-sections are truly MEDICALLY NECESSARY the tax payers are footing the bill for 25-30% of elective or non medically necessary c-sections!

If that doesn't make you say hmmmmmm or piss you off, I don't know what will!

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15 comments —

( 15 comments — Leave a comment )

jessicaknispel on October 29th, 2008 05:18 pm (UTC)

Wow, do you mind if I repost this?
I had an emergency c-section through medicaid, but mine was actualllly an emergency and my daughter would have died if I didn't.

It irritates me when people opt for a c-section just because it is more convenient for them gah! I don't know why anyone would WANT a c-section, they're horrible.

I am hoping to have a VBAC with my next child

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ctdoula on October 29th, 2008 07:19 pm (UTC)

Feel free to repost!

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smileybabe on October 29th, 2008 06:18 pm (UTC)

I always suspected that medicaid patients were more likely to be sectioned.

I am curious though, who pays for the remaining 6%?

May I repost this in my own journal?

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dreamalynn on October 29th, 2008 07:23 pm (UTC)

Self-pay would account for the remaining 6%, which is line with the fact that pregnancy is one of the conditions that qualifies almost every woman for care if she's not privately insured.

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ctdoula on October 29th, 2008 07:26 pm (UTC)

Those were "unaccounted for" so I am assuming people who are uninsured or choose to pay out of pocket.

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jessicaknispel on October 29th, 2008 07:54 pm (UTC)

not all, i know lots of girls that were on medicaid and weren't sectioned.. they were actually REALLY good about it with me and did everything possible for me to not have a section.

but what i wonder is, if medicaid allows vbacs.... because those that have had sections never end up giving vaginal births the second time around... now thatttttt is something i'd want to know.

unfortunately i ended up having an emergency one, it was horrible.. but i know if i didn't, i would have lost my daughter.

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ctdoula on October 29th, 2008 07:57 pm (UTC)

Medicaid does pay for VBAC's. The problem is most OB/GYN's do not promote them and if their patient brings it up, they go on about the risks of the VBAC but leave out the FACT that a repeat c-section with NO medical reason is 2.83 more deadly than a VBAC. There are far more complications and risks than there are for a healthy woman attempting a VBAC.

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jessicaknispel on October 29th, 2008 08:09 pm (UTC)

in alabama (where i live) there is only 1 obgyn that will perform a vbac.. in 3 major cities..

it is also "illegal" to have a home birth ... lol i wonder what they do when you've attempted a home birth and then decide you want to go the hospital to have your baby there because of some complication.. its not like they can turn you away..

there are doula and midwifes and things of that nature, but apparently its "illegal" whatever. it just makes me hate living here that much more.

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ctdoula on October 29th, 2008 08:13 pm (UTC)

Who told you there is only one OB/GYN who does VBAC? A friend of mine is planning a VBAC in December in Alabama.
Also, it is against the law for any OB/GYN to force you to have a c-section. So if you go into the hospital, in labor, and refuse a c-section.. you are either having a baby without their help, or they are delivering a VBAC. LOL
Patients rights trump whether or not a doctor offers VBAC.

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jessicaknispel on October 29th, 2008 08:20 pm (UTC)

a friend of mine that lives at ft rucker, called around to interview a new obgyn to deliver her next baby (that is due this november) and only found 1 that is 50 minutes away in dothan alabama. maybe they weren't taking any new patients but she was heartbroken when she called around and everyone said they didn't do vbacs.

lol and yes, you are right when it comes down to it haha.

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smileybabe on October 29th, 2008 08:39 pm (UTC)

I just said I felt they were more likely, not that they ALL do. I ended up with medicaid at the end of each of my pregnancies. They do allow vbacs but you also have to find a doctor willing to do it. Medicaid actually covers LOTS of things, like breast pumps for instance, that not all other private insurance companies do.

My first was an emergency csection. My son would have died without it. BUT there would have never been an emergency had the nurses/midwife left me alone to labor and not intervened.

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morphinae on February 20th, 2009 03:09 pm (UTC)

In regards to this post (which kicks much ass), do you have any idea where we can find a breakdown of cesareans funded by specific states? SC ICAN members are pushing our Governor hard and this would be very valuable info. They aren't giving this up easily, it seems.

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ctdoula on February 20th, 2009 03:21 pm (UTC)

Honestly, I wish I did.
I was starting to get that information through the Congressman that got me the above information, and then he lost this election and all my connections went straight out the window. :(

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morphinae on February 20th, 2009 05:22 pm (UTC)

Oh, how unfortunate. Sounds like you could have made some leeway. I wish they would publish this stuff :/ Thanks anyway!

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