[HappyLife]

Just wondering what everyone has chosen to do in regards to health insurance & TTC? Have you signed up for a private hospital cover policy, or are you planning to go through the public system?

I currently have extras cover only with my health fund and was thinking of adding on hospital cover, but (a) it is sooooo expensive; and (b) there is a 12 month waiting period for most hospital covers (and we wanna be UTD now!).

I've had a quick little search on the net this morning & it seems that even if you do go private, there are still a lot of out of pocket expenses, while public covers most of the costs, but you don't get any choice of Doctors, usually no private room and probably less 'special attention' than private, etc;

Just seeing what everyone else has decided & if anyone has had previous experience with either (or both?).

TIA

[lozoodle]

I've only ever gone public so I have no basis for comparison, but I have got absolutely no complaints about my care. The only things I have paid for in pregnancy are my initial GP consultation (and most back on medicare of course) and my 12 week ultrasound and bloods and got about $100 back all up. The rest has been bulk billed.

My antenatal appointments are fairly standard, but the upside is I never seem to be kept waiting, I'm usually seen within 5 minutes of arrival. I also have the same midwife each appointment so there is continuity of care there. Births have been wonderful so far, I was offered pain relief and epdirual with both, which I declined and they were respectful of my wishes and didn't push the issues. DD1 spent a couple of days in special care after her birth and the care there was amazing, I was really pleased with it. I also had my own room each time. When I was overdue with DD2, I was referred to the hospital Ob to talk possible induction, and the wait with her was a bit longer (about half hour late or so) but she was also really good and there were no issues whatsoever.

So my vote is definitely for public all the way.

[BubblyGal]

I'm going private (due in early Feb). Total out of pocket cost so far (including management fee) are approx $3,500 (I expect another $1,500 on top of that). That figure doesn't not include pay private health insurance premiums which include obstetrics (about $500 per month)

Having recently had to visit a public hospital maternity ward and a public hospital emergency ward to visit friends, hell would have to freeze over before I delivered in one or put the care of me and my baby in the public health system.

The type of care you choose should be a well researched, very personal decision and for me private was the only way to go.

[Moo point]

It all depends on what hospitals you have access to. Our closest public hospital is a major tertiary teaching hospital, and has a group midwifery practice where you have your own midwife for the entire pregnancy/birth (you need to be low risk, and it is in high demand). If you want an obstetrician of your choice, though, you will have to go private, either at a private hospital or as a private patient in a public hospital if he/she delivers there.

On a side note, we had private health insurance and ensured it covered IVF as I knew we would probably need it - as some of the procedures are done as an inpatient in a private hospital, it saved us loads. We still went public for the birth, but 3 rounds of IVF would have been far more expensive without it. Hopefully you won't need it or don't have any fertility issues but just something to keep in mind.

[JillyJellyBean]

I went private but the costs do blow out. You also need to pay the anaesthatist (spelling?) separately, and if you have an epidural, its expensive ($000's). Also, if you end up with a baby in the NICU or SCN you will have extra costs which you need to make sure your health insurer covers (ours was in SCN and cost insurance company $600 per day).

Different towns/cities have really popular and well liked midwifery programs and I think they may well be worth a try. Alot of people would swear by them. Maybe you could go do a tour or post on EB asking locals in your area about their experiences.

Good luck.

[Rolex]

Nothing wrong with the public system where I am. I agree wth lozoodle, 100%. I've had 3 births in a public hospital, including one being a very sick newborn, and I've had nothing but sensational care.

Sure, you have to share a room, but really, I can't see the point in spending thousands just for a private room for a few days. That doesn't bother me.

My son has spent a lot of time in the public childrens hospital, too, with the same surgeon who has never treated me as a second class 'public' citizen, and he's saved my son's life. He calls me at home when needed, and I can contact him when I need to. We've also never waited long for surgery, a couple of months at most for the non-urgent ones. Of course the urgent ones are immediate (he's had surgery at midnight once).

I'm going public with #4 as well.

[gadfly271]

I have private health insurance but decided to go public. We had access to a great public hospital, in the same building as the private hospital, same staff, same birthing suites, just different post-birth accommodation and for us it wasn't worth the extra money just to have my own room for a few days.

As it turned out I had complications and was in hospital for a week post birth, and I had my own room anyway! Standard of care was fabulous, food not too bad, epidural provided less than an hour after I asked for it.

The advice from my ob friend was if you have a low-risk or high-risk pregnancy (or are likely to), go public. If you may have a moderate-risk pregnancy, go private if you can afford to. Due to my complications last pregnancy, we will go private if we have another child, but I wouldn't hesitate to go public again if things were different.

I'd recommend you check out your local public hospital. If it's not to your liking, you might have to get private insurance and hold off TTC for 4 months or so to be covered for obstetrics. But make sure you budget several thousand for all the extra costs, like epidurals, extra fees etc. I wouldn't want to get into financial stress with a new baby when there is a perfectly good hospital I can access for free.

Good luck

[PrincessPeach]

I've got private hospital cover & i'm using it!

We've had friends who have just had their second baby at the hospital I'm looking at & their only out of pocket expenses were for the scans, because the Dr is an agreement Dr for their helath fund. So also take this into consideration.

I also want my own room & to be able to have my DH visit me outside visiting hours. Also DH is not exactly a fan of hospitals & the maternity unit is decked out similar to a hotel room - including carpeted floors in the room.

This post has been edited by PrincessPeach: 05/12/2012, 09:00 AM

[Covert]

I have only ever gone private so I have nothing to compare it to and no knowledge of the public health system other then what I have heard.

We have top health cover with our private health fund and went private with DS. I loved my OB, I loved all his midwives and I loved the level of care I got from the hospital I went to. DS was in neonates for 3 days due to jaundice and the medical staff were absolutely lovely and brilliant.

8 months later I had an ectopic pregnancy that my GP failed to identify, I called my OB in tears of confusion and within 36 hours I had my left fallopian tube removed where it was discovered it had started to shred.

4 months later we were still having trouble TTC so my OB who is also a fertility specialist started treating us.

We got a miracle, natural BFP not long after and once again my beautiful OB is taking care of our family again.

It is very expensive as private health cover doesn't quick in until you are in hospital so all your OB fees are out of your pocket which is around $4000 - $5000, whoever I had no hesitation in going private and would recommend to anyone who can afford it to do it.

It really is a personal decision and one where you have to consider your financial standing. However, if you can afford it then I would always go private.

Good luck.

[zingy]

I've always had private health insurance and used a private OB. After my experiences I would never and I mean never ever not use a private OB...BUT on the hospital front, with my first I went into labour before 32 weeks so had to have my OB deliver at a public hospital that had a NICU for the bub.

With my 2nd it was a twin pregnancy and I just made it to 34 weeks so I did get to go to the private hospital.

With my 3rd I had moved into state and I had a new private OB and was booked into a private hospital but I didn't check what would happen if I went into labour before 32 weeks. Well, I went into labour at 29 weeks and I was thrown to the wolves! I didn't get to have my private OB and I didn't get to deliver at the private hospital. Trainee OB's did an emergency CS at a public hospital and they 'botched' it. My little man was only here for 5 days.

This time I have changed OB's and made sure that he can still deliver if I go into early labour.

I would definitely go for a private OB but I would actually prefer to deliver at a public hospital that has the high end NICU facilities.

This post has been edited by zingy: 05/12/2012, 09:13 AM