birth/child delivery costs?

[dandan]

hi,
my husband and i just found out i'm 6 weeks pregnant. our private health insurance will not cover for the hospitalization costs because of the waiting period. i just want to know the average cost of birth/child delivery? what is the difference between public and private in cost?
thank you!

[Baby75]

Originally Posted by dandan

hi,
my husband and i just found out i'm 6 weeks pregnant. our private health insurance will not cover for the hospitalization costs because of the waiting period. i just want to know the average cost of birth/child delivery? what is the difference between public and private in cost?
thank you!

Good question congrats by the way we are planning on having our next baby over there we have been trying but its taken longer than we taught so im very interested to see how the system works

[Aussiejock]

Originally Posted by dandan

hi,
my husband and i just found out i'm 6 weeks pregnant. our private health insurance will not cover for the hospitalization costs because of the waiting period. i just want to know the average cost of birth/child delivery? what is the difference between public and private in cost?
thank you!

The cost of giving birth as a public patient I'm pretty sure are nil. You may have to pay for some prenatal things but you will get the Medicare rebate.
I would suggest that you book in pretty quickly. My four grandchildren were born in the public sector and the care the mothers and babies received was excellent. All the best.

[dandan]

thanks aussiejock!

but we are not medicare members as well, being on a working visa. we have initially inquired on costs and i must say it's very expensive average for the OB alone is $6,000!!! sigh..hope an less expensive option will be available to us. i believe in the australian health care system so we are leaning towards public just to lessen the costs.

thanks!

[Sam27]

Hey dandan

I am in a similar situation as yours. Can you please share how you are moving ahead with it and what is the average cost of giving birth in Australia without a private insurance?

Any information shall be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[dflach]

This is a great question that we have wondered about as well.

I'm moving our family to Australia in April/May on a 457 business visa and as a US citizen will not have access to the free public health care system. My employer is providing private health care (as they are required to) but the insurance will not waive the 12 month waiting period for pregnancy related costs.

We were hoping to have another child asap to keep them close together with our 3 and 1 year old. Also, my wife is worried about "getting to old" to have kids (she's not).

Has anybody found a solution to this? My future employer has promised to look into options but I don't think it's a priority for them.

Thanks!

[Baby75]

Hello
check out these web sites they give great information on the maternity hospitals and what it costs who is got and what not

Maternity Hospital and Birth Centre Recommendations & Discussion - Pregnancy, Birth & Baby Forums ~ BellyBelly

The Bub Hub they have forums were you can ask questions plus information on all the hospitals in Australia

hope this helps a little

i wonder as you baby will be born in Australia will you get the Baby bonus as it might cover the coat of delivery there is also hiring a independent midwife or check out midwife lead birthing centers they could be cheaper

good luck

[Byo]

Hi. I've had two Babies in Aussie and moved over here when six months pregnant. It was so stressful, let me tell you finding a Doctor, Hospital and not knowing anyone here to get advice from. But I got there in the end.

No Private medical insurer will cover you as it a "pre-existing" condition. I went through RPA which is a public hospital in Sydney. They quoted an average birth at $6000.00 plus $150.00 a day if there are any complications. I'm on a British passport, and they didn't charge me a thing. It was all midwifes though, so if you want to see an OB its gonna cost. To be honest as long as you are having a normal pregnancy you don't need a OB, midwives are brillient and more understanding. And from what I've heard the OB never does much anyway. Be aware that hospitals are getting very busy cause of the baby boom over here, in Sydney anyway. So get booked in as soon as you can. The best way is to find a Doctor who can suggest a hospital. As for baby bonus you will only get it if you are residents. And just because your baby is born here it doesn't make them Aussie's my two have had to take on there fathers Nationality which is Irish, as they aren't counted as Aussie's. Anyway good luck, the medical system here is really good, everytime I've been in hospital I've never had any complaints. Also if you can get a care-share Doctor its really good as you don't have to wait in the hopitals for check-ups. After you had the baby you will get lots of help from the childhood nurses at the clinics.

[lkrichard]

Just checked into this myself as it turns out I'm expecting number 2. The cost for the ob recommended to us is 5,000. Covers all costs preceding delivery as well as the delivery itself.

[Baby75]

im expecting as well 11 weeks now what ive done is checked out the Australian web sites and forums to see which hospitals are good got all the phone numbers off the BUB hub web site for hospitals we are going to move to the sunshine coast and the closest one to us is Nambour general hospital ive spoken to a nurse who works there and she has been great with information plus another girl who moved in the late stages contacted the hospital and faxed them a copy of her chart and they had a chart ready for her when she arrived in Australia she had excellent care and is trying for number two now check out those web sites i mentioned you get great tips off the girls and know were is good but to be honest all ive heard is good about the public and private care in Australia

you should be able to get recommendations for doctors so you can ring before you arrive and so it wont be so scary when we arrive

good luck every one