[nollaig]

Hi I recently found out I was pregant and am struggling to find information about options regarding an elective c-section. I don't have full private health insurance so I am wondering if the cost for private care is prohibitive i.e. for an elective c-section? I am assuming private care is my only option for a c-section as I believe public hospitals will only do it if deemed medically necessary.

Does anyone have any idea of how to get this info? I'm curious to know possible costs (although it probably varies depending on how long in hospital etc) but even an idea of minimum cost would be useful so I'd know if it is a runner or not.

Thanks a lot,

[Jacapanthus]

If you call a private OB their secretary should be able to give you their costs over the phone. They should also be able to tell you roughly the cost of the anaesthetist, assistant surgeon etc. Then you'd need to call the private hospital and ask what their nightly charge is, theatre costs etc.

I'd say you are looking at something in the order of $10k but I am no expert.

[Steggles]

Wouldn't touch private without insurance. Is this your first birth?

[paris-stella]

I was a public patient and had an elective CS. I had no medical need to have a CS except for a previous traumatic birth

[in(s)ane]

If you have mental health reasons for wanting a c-section (anxiety etc) my understanding is you could be catered to in the public system. Hopefully one of the midwives on EB will chime in. Which state are you in?

[aratiaw]

There is the cost for a straightforward CS and recovery, and then there is the potential blowout in costs if it's *not* straightforward. Not a risk I would want to take without PHI.

You haven't given your reasons for wanting a CS, but you obviously feel pretty strongly about wanting one over a VB. Why not research whether your reasons fall within your public hospital's CS policy?

[lorak]

I did this in 2008 (bub was breech and the public hospital wouldn't let me have a cesarean until I'd gone into labour, so went private instead). Hospital stay was around $5K for 5 nights. Anesthetist was around $1K. Private OB fees would vary a lot - I'd suggest ringing around. At the end of financial year you can claim some back thru medical expenses tax offset - you get around 20% back of everything that you spend, after the first $2K.
Also, try getting on the public hospital elective CS list - it was full by the time I tried.

[blue4me]

Call around the private OB's, their secretaries can give you a breakdown of costs and how much medicare will re imburse. Prices differ enourmously between hospitals, My 2 births cost $6000 and $6500 in OB fees alone where as a friend who went to a different hospital further fron the inner city only paid $2500. My private anaethetist fees were just over $2000, private paed around $500. The same OB can also charge different fees if they use different hospitals. I know of one who charged $6500 for inner city hospital and only $3000 for another hospital they also worked at further away.


I had top private health and extras and had a private room in a public hospital fully paid for by PHI but I found that they hardly covered any other expenses, something like $171 back for my $6000+ OB bill. I received a lot more back from just medicare. But still I hardly got back any of the money I paid out. Private insurance was only really any use for me with paying for the private room which was over $400 a night for the 4 nights I was in hospital.


Also if you want to go with a private OB you really need to book as soon as possible, they book out very fast. You can always book and cancel later but if you don't make an appointment asap you probably won't get in.

[annasue]

I had an elective CS as a public patient. It depends where you are and your circumstances but it can be done.

[jameses mum]

I was able to choose an elective caesarean in a public hospital in NSW without any problems whatsoever.