View Full Version : You have to pay for a homebirth???
Butterflies&Hurricanes
01-11-2007, 19:57
WHAT?? How ridiculous
So what does it cost? Is it just the cost of the midwife??
I thought about having one in England when I was pregnant with DS. Opted for a birth centre instead only cos it was my first and didnt feel confident (glad I did now) but thought maybe this one could be a home birth... but why on earth do I have to pay??? England the midwives come to you - all on the nhs - no need to pay!
Grrrr
It costs around $4000 :thumbsdown: Some parts of Australia offer community midwifery programs (which I think would be similiar to the NHS homebirth middies in the UK, as they still have to abide by hospital policy etc.)
It really sucks. Independent midwives cannot even get indemnity insurance in Australia. It is truly appalling :yes:
MoonstoneMumma
01-11-2007, 20:02
how frustrating isn't it!!! Here in nsw it cost about $4000, more if it is your first baby. Where as in WA and the NT it is free. St George hospital in NSW is doing some homebirths, but not many, and only if you are considered low risk.
i guess if you are wanting a home birth you can use the baby bonus - i guess you could call it 'investing in your birth!'
Duchessa
01-11-2007, 20:03
Hell yes! Usually anywhere between $2000 and $5000 - with none of it being refundable through Medicare. There are a few private health funds that will contribute, but not many and usually not much.
It is a sad indictment of the system that the cheapest option and the one that spares medical facilities for people with illness etc is the one that is hardest to achieve, is unsupported by the Medicare system and is uninsurable for it's practitioners.
SassyMummy
01-11-2007, 20:05
You can use the Baby Bonus to pay for it. That's what I'm planning! :thumbsup:
It really does suck, that the cheapest way to birth - at home, with just yourself and one midwife, costs so much to do.
I think it's something to do with insurance for independent midwives... I don't think they have any...??? (Someone else is sure to clear that up!).
Yeah it sucks. I thought about going home (NZ) to have my next baby at 'home' for free, but then I wouldn't get the baby bonus here so it would cancel itself out and also I would be in someone elses home, which I don't want.
So I will just think of the baby bonus as being the homebirth fee paid for.
how frustrating isn't it!!! Here in nsw it cost about $4000, more if it is your first baby. Where as in WA and the NT it is free. St George hospital in NSW is doing some homebirths, but not many, and only if you are considered low risk.
i guess if you are wanting a home birth you can use the baby bonus - i guess you could call it 'investing in your birth!'
:eek: I didn't know it was free in WA!?! Wonder how DF would like the idea :idea:
Yeah, we are using the baby bonus :thumbsup:
All you really need for a baby is boobs and a comfy sling :D We're all set already :laughing:
I didn't realise it costs so much :( There's another reason for DH to say no :( :(
Duchessa
01-11-2007, 20:15
Sure you can use the baby bonus to pay for it, but when it comes down to brass tacks what that means is that women who choose to homebirth are penalised. Women who homebirth are just as deserving of the baby bonus as any others, why should it be taken away to pay for a birth that ought to be paid for.
Sorry - I'm on a rant... Our taxes ought to be used to pay for a homebirth, just as they are used to pay for any other type of birth you may choose to have.
Oh, I totally agree with you on that Duchessa :yes:
It is the way it is at the moment though, and it shouldn't be something that stops people from having a homebirth. That's why I was trying to highlight the positivies I guess. It nearly stopped me from pursuing a homebirth, until I really looked at my priorities, yk?
SassyMummy
01-11-2007, 20:24
:eek: I didn't know it was free in WA!?! Wonder how DF would like the idea :idea:
I don't think it's always free... they do have a Community Midwifery Program, which will sometimes mean a homebirth is free IF you're low risk. It's not guaranteed even if you are low-risk... but I suppose it's worth looking into.
Butterflies&Hurricanes
02-11-2007, 09:37
Well all I can say is that its just ridiculous!! I think we should all do something about it! Cant we get someone interested to make the change?? I dont know how we could do it... a petition maybe (do those things work??) or a protest march (:laughing: )
We should all stand up for what we believe in and YES it IS cheaper to birth at home... leaving the hospital beds for people who REALLY need them. Not to mention protecting our babies from all those hidious germs found in hospitals! YUK!
ShadyCharacter
02-11-2007, 14:32
Yeah, we are using the baby bonus :thumbsup:
All you really need for a baby is boobs and a comfy sling :D We're all set already :laughing:Unfortunately you also need maternity leave if you work full time, thats where my baby bonus has to go :(
daisy4300
02-11-2007, 14:46
It's fully government funded here in the NT. They provide 2 midwifes for the birth and whatever you need/want. I just can't understand how they can make it free in one place and yet most other places charge for it.
Noah_and_Elijah
02-11-2007, 15:23
I'm not a home birther but to be honest I believe that women who employee an independent midwife and birth in their own home should receive a little more than the baby bonus (maybe an extra $1000) because not only are they forced to pay out of their own pocket but they are not taking up much needed hospital beds.
Hooray for home birthers I say!!
Lillynix
02-11-2007, 15:25
The only sure fire way to get a 'free' birth is to freebirth!
If you're in the private health system, you pay for it out of pocket.
If you're in the public health system, you pay taxes to pay for it (and so does everyone else).
If you homebirth, you have to pay for it out of pocket.
If you freebirth, it doesn't cost you or anyone else a single penny!
It sucks, but it's true. Hopefully one day it will change though and Hombirthing will be covered by medicare and the government :D
Yes, it is incredibly odd, isn't it, that in one part of the country eg; WA/NT you can get free homebirth, yet in others it is seen as akin to driving a car without a seatbelt?
You would think they could look at the stats from those parts of the country, see how much money is being saved keeping women out of the hospitals, and decide it really is a good thing.
I guess that is what you get when you have a turmoil of state politics and federal.:thumbsdown:
Butterflies&Hurricanes
02-11-2007, 16:06
The only sure fire way to get a 'free' birth is to freebirth!
If you're in the private health system, you pay for it out of pocket.
If you're in the public health system, you pay taxes to pay for it (and so does everyone else).
If you homebirth, you have to pay for it out of pocket.
If you freebirth, it doesn't cost you or anyone else a single penny!
It sucks, but it's true. Hopefully one day it will change though and Hombirthing will be covered by medicare and the government :D
You still pay taxes though so freebirthing isnt even free!! You are paying for everyone else to birth in hospital unneccesarily.:thumbsdown:
Lillynix
02-11-2007, 16:12
You may very well still pay taxes, but those taxes aren't being used to pay for the birth of a baby which was my point :o
O and there are MANY birth activists in Australia, working very hard to effect change, and allow women REAL choice in birthing.
There is the new political party "What Women Want" there is Maternity Coalition, and all around Australia women lobby their MP's, write letters to ministers, shadow ministers etc, there is a huge amount of work being done, but as currently only about 1% of the population opt for a homebirth, it really isn't headline news, sadly, as I feel it is such an important issue. (of course..haha)
I don't mind paying taxes for other people to have births in hospitals. I don't even mind paying for health insurance if it meant I could get some back for hiring a midwife.
I don't mind any of that, I just want to have my baby at home without having to fork out four grand for it.
Thats what it boils down to for me. It sh!ts me. That's why I get so snakey about people getting unecessary caesareans just because they want them. Its not fair, they are so expensive but they are free.
s'not fair.
doulacara
02-11-2007, 16:18
I think we should all do something about it! Cant we get someone interested to make the change?? I dont know how we could do it... a petition maybe (do those things work??) or a protest march (:laughing: )
We should all stand up for what we believe in and YES it IS cheaper to birth at home... leaving the hospital beds for people who REALLY need them.
Yes indeed! The ALP has posted a policy statement saying they will possibly review giving Midwives medicare provider numbers - meaning that you would get a rebate from Medicare. There are a lot of dedicated midwives and consumers who are fighting the fight, but the more consumers who stand up and say "I want better maternity care" the better.
Just recently, there was a rally outside parliament which was organised by a midwife and a couple of hundred people attended. Wouldn't it be cool to have a thousands demanding better services? BTW the Coalition Government's response was along the lines of they don't have any intention on changing the present system. :thumbsdown:
Think about joining a group like the Maternity Coalition, which is fighting for this very cause.
C
SassyMummy
02-11-2007, 16:56
I'm not a home birther but to be honest I believe that women who employee an independent midwife and birth in their own home should receive a little more than the baby bonus (maybe an extra $1000) because not only are they forced to pay out of their own pocket but they are not taking up much needed hospital beds.
Hooray for home birthers I say!!
Maybe YOU should run for PM Leesha! :p
O and there are MANY birth activists in Australia, working very hard to effect change, and allow women REAL choice in birthing.
There is the new political party "What Women Want" there is Maternity Coalition, and all around Australia women lobby their MP's, write letters to ministers, shadow ministers etc, there is a huge amount of work being done, but as currently only about 1% of the population opt for a homebirth, it really isn't headline news, sadly, as I feel it is such an important issue. (of course..haha)
I think the reason there is only 1% opting for the homebirth is because it is so expensive. How many times have we heard people say they would love to homebirth but dont want to pay $4000 to do it. It is a vicious circle, if more people wanted to homebirth then the government would have to start listening, but people are put off by the cost so dont bother with it. I hope im making sense, it sounds like im rambling. :D
We should all start emailing the labour health minister, (i really think labour is going to win this time), maybe if we get enough people to do it, we might get some type of response. Not before my baby is born though :no: .
yes, it is a vicious circle! And yes, we have to bug those pollies (completely forgot how to spell the right word) and make sure they know how many people see it as an issue.
I think the reason there is only 1% opting for the homebirth is because it is so expensive. .
Yes, absolutely, of course! Countries that support homebirth have a much higher rate of homebirth.
Much much much MUCH higher.
Like, much
:D
Yeah it sucks. I thought about going home (NZ) to have my next baby at 'home' for free, but then I wouldn't get the baby bonus here so it would cancel itself out and also I would be in someone elses home, which I don't want.
So I will just think of the baby bonus as being the homebirth fee paid for.
Yes you do Shed as long as you return to Australia within 6 months I think of giving birth. I "think" it's 6 months you may want to check.
Oh the rate of homebirth here in the UK is currently 2% so not that great!
ShadyCharacter, I didn't even think about that :( It sucks :yes:
Noah_and_Elijah
03-11-2007, 09:38
Maybe YOU should run for PM Leesha! :p
Geez could you imagine! :eek: :p
Yes you do Shed as long as you return to Australia within 6 months I think of giving birth. I "think" it's 6 months you may want to check.
REALLY?????? My God, I was going to do the same thing Shed. Definitely look into it, if that is true..:thumbsup:
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