American hospitals charge more than $10,000, enough for a stay in London’s swankiest maternity suite
THE fifth in line to the throne arrived in some style on April 23rd. The private Lindo wing of St Mary’s hospital in London, where the as-yet-unnamed prince made his entrance, offers luxurious suites, afternoon tea and a comprehensive wine list for celebrating parents. Yet the cost to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge was probably slightly less than the price of delivering the average baby in America. In 2015 the Lindo wing charged £5,670 ($8,900) for 24 hours in a deluxe room and a natural delivery. A survey in the same year by the International Federation of Health Plans found that the average fee for such a delivery in America was $10,808. Insurers cover most of the cost, but parents are still left with a bill of about $3,000—and perhaps a feeling of being royally ripped off.