Private health vs public system

[excitedcaz]

I am having my first child on the gold coast and will be giving birth at Pindara? Does anyone have experience with that hospital?

I was very much tossing up between public (tweed heads hospital) and private even though we have PHI. I am currently living in Tasmania but will be relocating back to the gold coast at around 35 weeks. Therefore I will only have to have Private care for a maximum of 7 weeks and the ob I had been referred too told me I would have to pay $700 in administration fees, which I thought was ludacrous, I contacted another ob that had been recommended to me, and he is waving the charge due to the fact that all my tests will have been completed and I will have all the tests results.. Also I was not able to claim any of the $700 back. I wouldnt have had a problem paying it if it were for the medical aspect but not for administration costs!

[mkmills30]

Hi Ladies

Just wanted some opinions (if there are any) re public v private in the mornington peninsula region (vic). I've worked in quite a few hospitals (both pub and pri), and so far everything I've heard indicates private is best by far, that the public system are just too busy to give you the care you need, therefore my preference has always been to go private. However having just found out that we're going to be about $3000 out of pocket DH is really pushing to go public.

I've heard some absolute horror stories from women about Frankston Hosp, and nothing but good for the privates in the area (although I'm sure they have their horror stories too - all hospitals do!).

Any advice or opinions would be appreciated!

[mummybynature]

I had DD at Mater Mothers in Brisbane and had the most amazing experience! I was a public patient but I had very personal care and couldn't have asked for better. I was lucky enough to be apart of the midwifery program where you are allocated your own midwife throughout the pregnancy - they are the ones who are there when you give birth and also come for home visits in the first six weeks after bub's arrival. I had complications in my labour (HELP Syndrome) but had so much confidence in the hospital to look after me and bub. I didn't feel as though I was being pushed out the door either and the after-care was amazing! I even had my own private room! A few friends of mine have gone private and when they came to visit me they couldn't believe what a wonderful setup I had there - and it didn't cost me a cent!

I hope this helps, goodluck with the baby making