Coinsurance, not deductibles, drives racial gaps in maternity costs

Key takeaways

Study finds Black and Hispanic patients pay up to 18% more for maternity care than white patients.

Researchers link disparities to health plan design and high coinsurance rates.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is testing plans that eliminate out-of-pocket costs.

Maryland lawmakers explore policies to reduce childbirth cost-sharing.

Black and Hispanic patients with private insurance pay more out of pocket for maternity care than white patients, according to a February 2025 study in JAMA Health Forum.

Although the analysis focused on Massachuset

ts, researchers say the disparities reflect a national trend — one that Maryland regulators are beginning to confront as they examine how insurance design, particularly coinsurance, affects what families pay to give birth