How much does medicare cover in private hospitals?

[AmandaMum2B]

Hello,

Can anyone give me an indication of what sort of costs I'd be looking at if I was to go private with no health insurance?

Cheers,
Amanda

[M O P]

My health insurance paid about $4000 for my hospital stay-4 nights- and the obs to deliver, I paid $500 towards this.
My obs was about $1000 out of my own pocket as I went aswell.
Plus there's other tests etc, so I'd say minimum of about $5500 as a guestimate.

[tammac77]

hi there,

I asked my GP the same thing after a terrible experience in a public hospital with first baby. He said to pay for private yourself without any health insurance you would be looking at anywhere from $5000 - $7000 (and possibly more depending on the OB's fees and the hospital you go to.)

The costs obviously go up if you have to have a c-section, due to surgery and longer stay in hospital. Plus if you want an epidural then you have the anaethists fees etc. We had the money in the bank, but I decided it wasn't worth it. This time I am going to a different hospital, still public but I get a private room. With my first and with the one I am having at the moment, I've done shared care. I really like my GP and you don't get the personal care and attention at the hospital. It is a good compromise.

My sister is going private. Her OB doesn't sound any different to my GP, doesn't seem to do anything "extra". In fact he's been away on holidays so she has been seeing a substitute. Plus he doesn't seem to spend as much time with her as my GP does and there are no guarantees he will make it the birth anyway. Mostly the midwives do all the work once you get to hospital.


Hope this helps. Private is tempting, but probably not worth it. Me personally, I'd rather have that money to spend on the baby!

Tammac.

[2s'nuff]

Although I can't remember exactly, once our HBF paperwork came through after having a CS and a 7 day stay with DD in a private hospital, I'm sure they paid out between $5-8000 (the higher figure is ringing bells, but the numbers are fuzzy).

Are there no nice public hospitals near you? It could mean a lot of money out of your own pocket.

[M O P]

I should add with mine I had the most basic birth (no epi, vaginal) so was prob a little cheaper.

A gf wanted to go to the same hospital then found out she wasn't covered for obs and it was going to cost them about $6000. So now she's going to public hosp as private patient with the same private obs she would have had in private hosp.

[Shellfish]

With my hospy, if you don't have private cover then you have to give them a $4000 deposit (it had in their notes) but if you do have cover then it's a $200 deposit.

[AmandaMum2B]

Thanks ladies,

I think I'd rather go public and spend the cash on our little one!

Cheers,
Amanda

[ozkelbel79]

It's terribly expensive, even with health insurance I am just learning! I think it also depends on the hospital and obstetrician you have. I went public with my first child as I didn't have private health and I literally did not pay a cent for anything.

This time around, I have chosen to go private (North Shore Private in Sydney). My first OB appointment was $140, only $60 of that was refunded by Medicare. At 22 weeks I have to prepay my OB $3200 (apparently 80% I can claim back thru Medicare) and then an additional $1600 at 32 weeks of which I get nothing back. Then there are the ultrasounds, my first cost $160 and I got $50 back through Medicare. I have a 12 week scan this week which is $280 but I'm not sure how much I will get back. Then there is a 19 week scan.

My hospital costs are all covered, but I believe it is $5000. You may have to pay extra if you have a c-section or if your baby requires extra care (eg born prem).

So unless you have lots of money to burn and you're not happy with your local public hospital, I'd go private. But public can be just as good, you just don't get all the luxuries!

[winniethepooh]

of the $3200 at 20 weeks the first 1000 is not included in the 80% .yo have to pay the first 1000 of any out of pocket expenses in any calendar year so depending on whether you have
had any out of pocket expenses already in that year.

the mercy in heideleberg vic is a public hosp that takes private patients. to satay there with no insurance is $300 a night for shared room(2 beds) and $580 for priv room; this includes theatre and delivery suite fees , nothing extra.
then you have ob on top of that so if you get a reasonable ob it can cost you about $2500 after medicare.

[Squiggles]

I am going private - we have health insurance but are still in our waiting period. It seems to add up as follows...

$4800 4 night stay for normal VB - more for c section
$2360 for Ob pregnancy management fee

You also pay for all tests that eed to be conducted after the birth.

Hope this helps.