Going pte with no insurance -Perth

[carinal]

hi everyone,
I'm new to Perth n am abt 7 wks preg. Currently don't have insurance and would like to consider going pte so as to have a "regular" ob n give birth at a private hospital.
I'd like to know the cost of each visit to the ob as well as normal delivery cost?

Thanks in advance!

[SalsaMama]

If you phone the rooms of the ob you're considering, they will be able to send you a list of all the fees.

[lovelylittlegirls]

It will be a lot unfortunately!

It will obviously differ for Dr's, Hospitals and if you end up having a c-section, epidural and the length of stay at the hospital etc but when i left hospital after having my last DD my insurance paid over $7000 just for the hospital! I didn't have an epidural of c-section either so that would have been even more. As for my ob costs, i had to pay for them myself as insurance doesn't cover any of that and i paid $60 per visit (my ob is very cheap) and i think about $300 at about 26 weeks. Medicare does cover some but not all and the $300 that i paid at 26 weeks i was told by the lady at medicare when i claimed that she had never seen such a cheap fee for any OB EVER!!!!! They can charge up to $5000!!!! (I am in sydney though and not sure if that matters?) Plus there were all the ultrasound and blood test fees as well so i think you would be looking at a very big bill by the end!

But as Jensen said, you are best to ring your chosen OB and ask about all the fees from them. Could you possible consider going public with your own private OB if money is a drama?
I only just upgraded my health insurance the other day so i have to wait about 3 months at least before i get pregnant again, but DH and i haven't been too careful this month so it might be sooner than that for me lol! If i am UTD i am going to have to go public which i don't mind, i just HATE having to share a room. I believe that a mother with a newborn baby should have her own space and quiet

Good luck with whatever you choose!

[carinal]

Thanks for the replies. I'm still considering but, yeah, will ring up the obs I've shortlisted.
Thing is, I've heard some not great stories about delivery at the public hospy where I might end up (Osborne park) if I do go public cos Kemh only takes high risks?
Jensen, since you're from Perth, any views on joondalup public?

And I'm originally from Singapore, where a normal birth at a public hospital can cost
up to $1000+ anyway.

Oh, and by the way, how do you go public with a private ob?
Sorry for the many questions... But it all seems overwhelming ....

Thanks!

[narellemumof4]

I had all my babies at Joondalup Private under Dr Margo Norman, she is absolutely fantastic. You should call her rooms and find out her charges. The ante natal visits are covered partly by medicare, she has a $1500 planning fee and I cant tell you how much the hospital and deliveries cost as I had private insurance. If you were interested in Margo I would call now if I was you as she books out very quickly as she is so good.

[lovelylittlegirls]

And I'm originally from Singapore, where a normal birth at a public hospital can cost
up to $1000+ anyway.

Oh, and by the way, how do you go public with a private ob?
Sorry for the many questions... But it all seems overwhelming ....

Thanks!

Hmmm, not sure but here in Sydney area you can go to i think any public hospital with your choice of OB (as long as they are affiliated with that hospital) i guess you just have to ask the individual OB when you ring them and ask if they do that. The OB i had used to do that too and the way they worked it was that you just see the OB in his rooms for all your appointments and the only time you go to the hospital is to book in and to have the baby. The only thing is though that he doesn't deliver the baby, the midwives do but i think if there was any problems then they would call him. So basically you just see him for all the prenatal stuff and anything that happens in the hospital is treated like a public patient and you don't have to pay for epidural etc.
I went Private but my friend saw him and went public but she needed a c-section (not emergency) and he did it anyway and because she had a c-section they put her in a private room so it was just like she went private but without any of the costs except the out of hospital stuff. I also had a private room and champagne and nappies and free tv and phone because i was private so that was really nice to have my own space and peace and quiet

Hope i have helped

[wildfire]

It's not just the cost of the ob that you need to consider, you will have to pay for EVERY service in a private hospital, from the bed per night to every little bit of medication you may need (even panadol!) In my experience you will many $1000's of dollars out of pocket, and apart from calling the private ob for a list of costs you would be wise to also call the hospital that doctor delivers in.