Hi all,

I am 22 and expecting my first child on 31st jan. i have an extremely bad back as a result of a car accident (breaking my back) 5 years ago. so as u could imagine, the pain before falling pregnant was excrutiating let alone what it is going to be like after wards. I have full hospitial private cover and suppose i would use that.

I am wondering about the costs involved though. How much do ob appt's generally cost, what about hospitial cost am i up for a lot. I just want to be prepared financially and as i only work part time at the moment we need to save, save , save now.

Sorry if all this sounds stupid, but i dont know any one thats had a baby in canberra let alone gone private.

Thank you

Anna
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Hi Anna,

The private Ob costs (from memory) that I incurred during my pregnancy in 2003/2004 were:
- initial Ob appointment was around $125
- each appointment with her after that was $54 (one each month, then one each fortnight from 30 weeks from memory, then weekly from 36 weeks)
- three or four ultrasounds at around $150 each
- a couple of blood tests to check for gestational diabetes and (sorry) can't remember the other one
- and a booking fee of around $800

Once in hospital, the only cost was:
- private insurance excess of $200 (this will vary depending on who you are with)

After we came home we got a bill from the paediatrician. It was only for $50 as the rest was covered by Medicare.

We also got a letter from the anaethetist (I had an emergency c-section) only to say that we had no bill to pay as he only charged the Medicare scheduled fee.

We saw our Ob once afterwards for a checkup and I think the appointment cost around $65.

Recently we contacted our Ob as we've started TTC#2 and we wanted to ensure that we have her again. Her booking fee had gone up to $1100 but that was the only change. I've PM'd you her name (Dr G) so you know who I am referring to.

Cheers,
Helen.
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This message was edited by ckrmum on Monday, 4 July 2005 @ 8:43 PM

Hi Anna,

We had our daughter at JJMH early last year and we paid
pretty much the same as Helen.

When we went through none of the $800 - $900 booking fee
was Medicare redeemable. I believe that this may have
changed. I called them (Medicare and my Ob's office) a few
months back and they said that some of this fee was now
Medicare redeemable, but I think it has something to do with
what it is billed as. Ask your Ob's receptionist, they will know
what is and isnt redeemable (or someone else here will have
the answer for you).

I had an epidural and the anaesthetist, who was great, sent
me a bill for the gap only. It cost $100.

All the best.

Hi Anna,
I am currently 28 weeks and here are the costs I've been paying/will pay.

* Initial Obs consult - $160 (can't remember how much back I got from medicare, maybe $70???)
* Normal consults - $70 (medicare give me back $25);
these consults are every 5 weeks until week 28-30, then every 2 weeks until week 35/36, then weekly.
* 2 x ultrasound (week 12 and week 20). I am not sure what these cost, as we had to have extra testing at this time. If you get a nuchal fold and blood test at around week 12 (this is used as an indicator of possible genetic disorders), it costs more and some is not claimable by medicare. For all these tests, together they cost us over $500 and I know we got less than half back from medicare.
* Gestational diabetes and iron levels blood test (not sure of cost)
* Booking fee - $1440. If I have reached the medicare safety net, medicare will reimburse me around $1150 of this. If not, no medicare reimbursment (I'll reach the safety net, most pregnant women do going through Obs system).
* Hospital fees will depend, as someone else said, your level of cover. We have a $250 payment first, adn then pay a bit per day for a private room.

If you have reached the medicare safety net you'll get more back from the Obs visits. I will reach it within the next four weeks, so things will cost us less from then on, at a time we need it, due to having frequent obs visits.

Hope this helps,

Nicole


~Me (33) DH (32)~

"The pea" EDD Oct 2nd, 2005
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