Pregnancy Planning & Management Fee

[mumofsamuel]

Evening ladies,

I had my Nuchal scan this morning and all has come out wonderfully and low risk. I also met my OB this afternoon who seemed very nice. I did however almost fall over when confronted with the costs of having a baby. WOW!

I have elected to go private and I have basic hospital cover which covers my hospital stay, obstetrics, theatre ward charges & neo natal intensive care. I figured that if my accommodation was covered and the baby was covered in case anything went badly wrong, then I would be fine paying the Dr myself... Then I was told about the "Planning and Management Fee". I have read up that this is basically to cover the rising costs of liability insurance for private ob's. I just wanted to say THIS IS RIDICULOUS! Mine is $1,850 payable in 8 week's time when I am 20 weeks. I can pay it off but then it becomes $2,000. I know I am lucky as at least I don't have to pay for much else, but WHOA, that's one big fee just for the pleasure of them having to pay ridiculously high insurance premiums. I am not happy with those insurance companies right now.

Oh well I have gotten that out. So has anyone else copped a higher fee or a really low fee???

[salt water]

Hi Noosamum :wave: (great name btw teehee)

I paid $1500 for my management fee and I got most of that back via medicare ($1300 or so I think, I'll have to go and look it up for you).

:goodvibes: for a fabulous pregnancy :)

Noosamum (the original Noosamum :p teehee)

[M~T~J~M]

:wave:

My planning and management fee is $2470.00. Thats for a normld delivery. If I have a complicated delivery - gestational diabetes, c- section, it is going to cost $3485.00.

Out of pocket expense to me will be $1304.90/$1476.40

[pookiesossige]

I had no idea it cost that much!! :eek:

Thank goodness for a wonderful public hospital where I am- the only hospital for a couple of hundered of k's that delivers! No difference whether you're private or public here- except you can have your own ob at the delivery, but then only if they're available. From then on, everyone gets the same (fantastic) care.

Good luck NoosaMumToBe!!

[mumofsamuel]

Thanks All,

I too have been doing some digging. You get back 80% of any out of pocket expenses over the Medicare Safety Net (last yr was $1,250 but changes each Jan). So since I am paying this end of Jan, I will have to wait until after then to find out how much I get back. The upside is that anything after that out of pocket, I will get 80% back... so not too bad. At least my health insurance will cover the other stuff. Another worry is that if we move interstate (which is on the cards), I will have to then pay someone else. DH has a cousin who is an OB and she has operated on my in the past back in Sydney so I wouldn't have a problem going with her but I wouldn't want to pay this $2,000 upfront and then try and get it back if I move a week later! I stress unnecessarily about too many things so I think I will just cross that bridge when it comes.
:fingerscrossed:

[BeautifulBoys]

Evening ladies,

I had my Nuchal scan this morning and all has come out wonderfully and low risk. I also met my OB this afternoon who seemed very nice. I did however almost fall over when confronted with the costs of having a baby. WOW!

I have elected to go private and I have basic hospital cover which covers my hospital stay, obstetrics, theatre ward charges & neo natal intensive care. I figured that if my accommodation was covered and the baby was covered in case anything went badly wrong, then I would be fine paying the Dr myself... Then I was told about the "Planning and Management Fee". I have read up that this is basically to cover the rising costs of liability insurance for private ob's. I just wanted to say THIS IS RIDICULOUS! Mine is $1,850 payable in 8 week's time when I am 20 weeks. I can pay it off but then it becomes $2,000. I know I am lucky as at least I don't have to pay for much else, but WHOA, that's one big fee just for the pleasure of them having to pay ridiculously high insurance premiums. I am not happy with those insurance companies right now.

Oh well I have gotten that out. So has anyone else copped a higher fee or a really low fee???


So happy for you that the scan was all gd!:yelclap:
Well im PUBLIC so all FREE!!!!!
I was public last time with DS, things were complicated long story... however did consider private care this time but if any thing went wrong i would be transferred to a teaching hosp anyway.. Im trying for a VBAC this time & am going under the midwives as well as the doc's.. I just no most private hosp would "make"me have another c-section & that is not what i want.. if it happens so be it, but just want a chance to go natural again.. the care I received in the public system was wonderful (perth) i had a private room most of the time etc.. food ****.. haha this time im in Hobart & have seen how wonderful the staff is.So fingers x i get the same treatment.
That does sound like a lot $$$ but im sure it will be well worth it...:hugs:

[Terrible2+1cutie]

We have to pay $1000 here, it used to be only $600. Its the price we pay for having the best of everything i guess.

[candiee]

we go public too so every thing is free.
last time i got a room to myself and the midwives and nurses were all great.
i also do the share care thing where i go to my doc and the midwives at the antenatal clinic at the hospital.
i have had no problems with public and there is no way we could afford private health insurance.

[cheezelz]

Make sure you register for the Medicare Safety Net. Once you have paid over the threshold you will get 75% of out of pocket expenses back from Medicare. Make sure you keep all your receipts for scans and GP appointments for you and partner and any other children and taken them into Medicare.
I think I paid $1400 and got $900 back from Medicare once I showed themthe receipt.

[mumofsamuel]

Thanks Cheezelz (your name is making me HUNGRY!!!), I went into Medicare yesterday and asked everything beforehand. I am almost at the safety net for this year but it starts again in January!! ARGH! Oh well, it's good to know beforehand though. Thanks for the advice.

[mtjt25]

Mine is $3500 due at 20 weeks - that is actually cheaper than the obs I had last time but clearly a lot more than most of you guys are paying. Plus I still pay for each appointment!

[supermumof3]

birthing beauty i am very similar to u i looked into private too but due to previous problems i am better off in public

[MrsP]

:wave:

My planning and management fee is $2470.00. Thats for a normld delivery. If I have a complicated delivery - gestational diabetes, c- section, it is going to cost $3485.00.

Out of pocket expense to me will be $1304.90/$1476.40

OMG!!!! What a price!!!

I feel really guilty putting it here, as my management fee is nothing like what you guys pay - my wonderful Ob is only $800 - and we got the majority of it back thanks to the safetynet.