Minority Groups Spent More on Maternity Care Than White Patients

Asian, Black, and Hispanic patients with commercial insurance spent significantly more on out-of-pocket maternity care than White patients, according to data published in JAMA Health Forum.¹ Driven by enrollment in plans with high coinsurance, researchers believe modifications to benefit design are necessary to address this disparity.

“Black and Hispanic birthing people have lower rates of adequate prenatal care and are more likely to deliver at lower-quality hospitals than White birthing people,” wrote authors of the study. “Less is known about whether out-of-pocket (OOP) spending during maternity care differs by race and ethnicity….