Help with out of pockets costs associated with birth - esp those of you with Medibank

[sylvester11]

We are currently budgeting to have a baby next year. I have Intermediate hospital cover with Medibank.

I have a few questions for those of you that have gone private -

With the gap cover option, where you see a specific doctor that participates in the scheme does that mean I only pay the excess and the ob bills MBP for the actual birth?

I am wondering what my out of pocket expenses for the pregnancy and birth will be. If anyone has exact costs they are willing to share I would be very interested. :) I have taken into account



antenatal visits (approx $35 back from medicare??)
pregnancy management fee (approx $260 back from medicare??)
hospital excess
post natal visit (approx $35 back from medicare??)
initial antenatal consultation (approx $60 back from medicare??)
ultrasounds (approx $29.75 back from medicare??

How much does the anaethetist cost if he/she doesnt participate in gapcover scheme? epidural?? C Section??? Am i able to ask for a gapcover anaethetist??

How much does the paediatrician charge, approx?

how many ultrasounds are usually done during pregnancy? I have heard that obs usually do an ultrasound each visit - I'm assuming that comes under the antenatal visit and won't be charged each time??

Another question - we are married but we are insured as singles as it was cheaper. Do we need to register as a family before the baby is born for him/her to be insured? Has anyone had any experience with this?

Are there any out of pocket costs I'm not considering? :huh: I am interested in seeing Dr Turner @ the Wesley hospital in Brisbane.

Also, when do you first book in with the ob? as soon as you find out i.e 2 weeks pregnant?!

Sorry for all of the questions, this is our first baby (and i am so excited :valentine: and i have never been to hospital before with private health insurance! :)

Thanks :reindeer:

[trishalishous]

bump:xmas:

[MyCheekyMonkey]

Hi Sylvester11,

Firstly congratulations!

I went private with medibank, so can answer a few of the questions, but didn't choose a gap cover OB so can't help on that, sorry!

(This is at the Melbourne private hospital I went to):

- The peadiatrician in hospital cost $400, I got some money back from medicare, but not Medibank.

- The anesthetist cost just over $1,000, I only got billed for $800 as Medibank had paid for some of it, and then I also got some of the $800 back from Medicare. I had no choice in who the anesthetist was (ie. part of Medibank gap scheme or not)

- I needed a C Section, this cost no extra with the health fund, except I needed an assistant OB to help during the surgery, and this cost $250, I got some back from Medicare.

- I was also on singles cover when I had my baby, and the lady at Medibank said they do not discriminate against single parents and families, so your baby is covered under your single membership, and to just get your partner/husband to go advise them of baby's name and DOB in the weeks after the birth. I changed to family cover later on though, as it was cheaper when I wanted to add my daughter to my cover.

- Book into the OB as soon as you get a positive pregnancy test as they book out very quickly. I even booked in before I went to the GP to get the referral as I had to wait a few days for my GP's appointment (I found out I was pregnant quite late though, so was trying to speed things up!)

- You generally have 2 main ultrasounds during pregnancy, the 12 week nuchal scan (if you decide to have it - to test for Downs Syndrome) and the 20 week scan. I was charged for both of these, but got money back from Medicare, not medibank

- My OB did scans every visit as she had her own ultrasound machine in her room, I was charged no extra for this

Hope this helps :)

[myhusbandswife]

How much does the anaethetist cost if he/she doesnt participate in gapcover scheme? epidural?? C Section??? Am i able to ask for a gapcover anaethetist??

I had an epidural. The bill was about $600 and I was about $200 out of pocket. You can claim the anaesthesist on Medicare and your Health Fund. With my hospital its whatever anaesthesist is on call at the time. I had my epi at 2.30am so I got what i was given.

My friend had a C-section and her bill was much bigger than mine so keep that in mind. I think if they have to attend theatre they have to stay for the procedure so they charge more???


How much does the paediatrician charge, approx?

Paed bill was about $250 I think. Again we just got whichever paed was on call when bubs was born

how many ultrasounds are usually done during pregnancy? I have heard that obs usually do an ultrasound each visit - I'm assuming that comes under the antenatal visit and won't be charged each time??

My OB doesnt have a U/S machine in his room. Some do. I think its just included in the antenatal visit cost because its not done by a sonographer and not for medical reasons its just to have a quick look at bubs

Another question - we are married but we are insured as singles as it was cheaper. Do we need to register as a family before the baby is born for him/her to be insured? Has anyone had any experience with this?

You will need to upgrade to family cover. You will have to check with your health fund when to do this

Are there any out of pocket costs I'm not considering? :huh: I am interested in seeing Dr Turner @ the Wesley hospital in Brisbane.
I think thats about all I paid for

Also, when do you first book in with the ob? as soon as you find out i.e 2 weeks pregnant?!
As soon as you find out! they can book out super fast!


Hope this helps let me know if you have any more questions.

[chicken and eggs mum]

I had bub number one and about to have bub number two through medibank!! So I can help a bit... although costs can vary slightly, depending on state. I have found that where I am it seems to be a bit cheaper!

How much does the anaethetist cost if he/she doesnt participate in gapcover scheme? epidural?? C Section??? Am i able to ask for a gapcover anaethetist??

This is one I cant help on as I didnt have any of this, sorry!!!
How much does the paediatrician charge, approx?
We didnt get charged for a pead as my ob/gyn does all his own post natal visits and checks with the newborn, so it was all included in his fees.

how many ultrasounds are usually done during pregnancy? I have heard that obs usually do an ultrasound each visit - I'm assuming that comes under the antenatal visit and won't be charged each time??
I had an u/s done at most apts with my ob. The only ones I got charged extra for were the 12 week NT scan and the 20 week morph scan - as these were longer, more detailed rather than just a quick check on bub!!

Another question - we are married but we are insured as singles as it was cheaper. Do we need to register as a family before the baby is born for him/her to be insured? Has anyone had any experience with this?
Yup, get on to family cover as this is the only way for pregnancy to be covered - it is not on singles membership. Ring them to find out how long in advance you need to do it.

Are there any out of pocket costs I'm not considering? :huh: I am interested in seeing Dr Turner @ the Wesley hospital in Brisbane.
I think you have thought of everything!! GOOD LUCK!!!!

Out of pocket I had was each visit(inc u/s), excess and management fee.


Also, when do you first book in with the ob? as soon as you find out i.e 2 weeks pregnant?!

As soon as you can I have heard from a lot of people. Here, they are not quite so busy, so with my first I didint book in with him until 12 weeks, then with this one it was 8....

Good luck on your journey!!!

[KyD]

Hi!
I think most of it has been covered that you asked about, but just a couple of things. Don't forget about the Medicare safety net. Once you hit a certain amount of out of pocket expenses you get 90% of out of pocket back far anything medicare would normally rebate for the rest of the calendar year. So with the costs of the U/S's and OB visits and stuff and the managment fee which is usually substantial ($700@ my OB) then you will find you may get there quite quickly.
Also with Medibank, i was told several times ('cause i asked several times!) that you have 8 weeks after the birth to get around to adding them. Their coverage will be backdated to their birth date and they will not need to wait any waiting periods. After the 8 weeks then they need to wait out the waiting periods like any other new member.
I was billed $800 for my anaethetist (but didn't need to pay as i worked for the company running the hospital so it was "sorted" for me), and ~$400 for the paed, hadn't hit the safety net at this stage but was still only $60ish out of pocket after medicare rebate. 6 week check i think you can get a PH rebate too as it is directly linked to a hospital stay.
Good luck and hope this helps.