Private, Public or Birth Centre?

[preagainpan!!!!!]

Hi Siofra - not sure if you have private health insurance? My health insurance from UK (BUAP) meant that when I came back here (I was already 6 wks preg) I was immediately covered with no wait periods as some health funds will recongise continuos cover from abroad so this is worth looking into if you go private (or even if public of you do need other care like physio etc) - I am with HBA and was with BUPA. Hope that helps.

[barb]

Hi again,
Thanks for all your replies, they've been really helpful.
I actually called up Medibank Private and asked them about the fees, and I only have to pay the $200 excess. And I also called up 2 OB/GYN's to find out about their out of pocket fees (since that's what matters..) . One of them said that he charges $1700 that is NOT claimable at all (so that's fully coming out of my pocket) at 20 weeks and another $3500 at 30 weeks that is claimable by Medicare. Since I've reached my Safety Net, this shouldn't be that much... The other doctor is basically said the same amounts in different nominations. So around $2000 for a private experience...
Well, I guess now we have to pick a doctor....
any recommendations in South-east Melbourne? I looked at Masada Hospital and Cabrini .... has any one had any experiences there?
Thanks. Barb

Once you've hit your safety net (for me it's $1000) - all medical expenses after that are 80% refunded by medicare.

I have an obstetrician and his out of pocket expenses are around $3000 for his pre-delivery visits - but after paying the first $1000 - I claim all the rest through medicare.

I suggest you phone the hospital - as they will have a list of the doctors that work from their hospital...

[preagainpan!!!!!]

hi barb
yes i know a lot of people who RAVE about cabrini - it does book up v early though so worth calling asap if you are interested. A lot of people I know have gone with Dennis Price and they LOVE him (he seems to have a fan club) and also as an aside he seems to be reasonably priced.
I also know people who have been to Masada and they liked it too, this was a while ago and I am not sure which OB they used (sorry).

[neeny]

HI

I have always had private insurance because I think its invaluable to have a doctor that knows you espeically when you have medical conditions. I had my baby at North West Private in Brisbane and they were great. My health fund covered everything except $100 gap for anaethatist fee. I stayed 5 days because I had to have a c/s, my baby's head wasnt engaged by week 38 and I was told I'd be in for a long and hard labour. My ob didnt force a c/s on me until week 38. His care fee was $1400 and claimable on medicare (they all should be if they have a provider number) because I'd reached my safety net of $700 I think it was last year.

I believe when it comes to your health you deserve the best. And yes our public system is pretty good compared to other countries but sadly I have a friend who lost her first child at 19 in the public system as the doctor failed to give her antibiotics during her labour (she had a temp) then did an emerg c/s as baby was distressed, he then ended up on a respirator for 8 hours and died of staphlococcal which got through his lungs. She then took out private cover and had her 2nd baby under her own OB and couldn't get over the difference between the two hospitals. There are some good public hospitals around but you always here about the bad ones first. I, myself would never let my private cover go and find having one on one care is invaluable. You're not treated like a number, shoved out due to bed shortages and get your own room which is preferable after giving birth - you want your privacy and peace and quiet!

Anyway at the end of the day we have a choice but what price do you put on your health?

[Snacks]

Gosh, how awful for your friend.
I honestly don't believe though that going to a private hospital and having your own obs can stop terrible things from happening. Rare tragedies occur regardless of where you choose to give birth. Just my two cents for anyone reading this and trying to make a decision... We had private health cover but I still chose to go public. My experience was fantastic. I didn't feel like a number. I rarely had to wait - there was one occasion where I had to wait for a doctor to give me test results after spending half a day with my BP being monitored. The midwives took care of me so brilliantly. My birth experience was beautiful and I feel I received the most patient and professional quality of care I could have asked for.
I admire anyone who is doing their research before making a decision... By fully informing yourself you are more likely to have a satisfying birth experience, regardless of what you choose.

[BellyBelly]

neeny - It's quite common for babies to engage just before labour starts... even in first time mothers. There is no hard and fast rule as to when they will engage and most definitely they aren't all supposed to be engaged at 38 weeks. No-one should be forced to make a decision, but they should be able to make informed decisions. Forcing someone is not informing and sounds like you were given only one side of the story. Plenty of BB women had their babes engage in labour and I have also heard of private Obs making fatal mistakes - you just happen to be close to someone who has had a bad experience.

Are there any more comments on private, public or birth centres - what did you choose and why? What were the pro's and con's?

[amber]

I chose private because as a paying client I felt I had more of a right to insist on what wanted and was able to be more assertive. I could call an anaesthetist any time I wanted (without someone telling me I didn't need one as happened to a public patient I knew of) I could stay as long as I wanted and was able to stay purely to establish breastfeeding which would certainly not happen in the over burdened public system on the Gold Coast. Any time I felt nervous about my baby's movements (or lack of) I was able to go straight in and have some monitoring done without any wait at all.
I was able to have an ultrasound at every visit to my OB (and not 2 for the whole pregnancy as is the public system's way). I had my own room and could have my husband stay there with me and not have to wait for visiting hours to see his wife and baby.
But mainly, we could afford it! Why overburden the public system if you can afford to go private? There are so many people who can't afford to go private and I would much rather they get a little better care with one extra person using that resource unnecessarily.

[~Serenity~]

I chose to go private.

I looked around for an ob that is was comfortable with and I needed the security of knowing who the person was that was looking after me during ante and post natal care.

I asked questions at the first appt like what is your c/section rate? Why are there so many more c/s in private hospitals. I really want a natural delivery and he was very pro natural delivery as well and had written ob/gyn articles in journals on the rates of c/s in australia (very interesting read).

He worked both in the private and public system and said that often the doctors in public system leave it too late to call seniour ob's and complications can arise. He said the risk of things going wrong are much higher in the public system.

I was 200% happywith the care I recieved. I was under shared care and only paid $80 every 2 months which I got back i think 37.50 from medicare. My midwife who delivered my baby was just perfect at her job and if I am here next time I will ask for her again.

The hospital cost me nothing (i was only there for 1 day as I wanted to go home because I was so bored there and hate hospital environment. I would consider home birth if I wasn't so scared that something might go wrong.

The ob cost me about $2000 out of pocket, but it was money well spent because I had trust in the person looking after me.

I had symptoms of preeclamsia and I phoned him up one day at work just to make sure this was all normal symptioms (which it wasnt). He saw me straight away and ran some tests no waiting. He increased my visits to monitor me more closly. I just felt like I was in very good hands and I wasnt being treated by a student doctor or someone inexperienced. I know we all have to learn, but I'm a worrier at the bext of time

I wouldn't go public as I had heard some terrible stories. (My best friend being one of them)

Each to their own on what is best for them!


Jen

[BellyBelly]

He said the risk of things going wrong are much higher in the public system.

Thats interesting, when stats show it's much higher intervention in private hospitals... in fact the highest for any care.

[~Serenity~]

Kelly: Does intervention count the people who choose to have a csection? Also alot of people who have high risk pregnancies may choose to be cared for under an obstetirtion under the private system and therefore increasing the rate of intervention because they are high risk to begin with.

Did anyone hear about the lady who had a miscarriage in a toilet at a public hospital last week? Disgraceful.

[blue daisy]

Hey Jen

why was it disgraceful? it is a horrible experience for anyone to go through...but I am not sure why you think it is disgraceful that it happened in a public hospital

xx yogababy

[amber]

I personally find it disgraceful that it happened in a toilet whilst in an emergency room. Any emergency room in a public OR private hospital.
Also, why is an intervention considered 'wrong'? Isn't a healthy baby a good outcome?
Wouldn't the 'wrong' be if and intervention was needed and didn't happen resulting in a death?
Maybe that was the wrong BabyBella was referring to? Not sure (and please correct me if I'm mistaken! )
That's what I would consider wrong!!

[blue daisy]

Sorry Amber you've lost me a bit with the 'wrong' bit ...but I do believe that (at the heart) intervention for the health of mother and baby is for a positive result

it is really horrible that a miscarriage occured...but we cannot control where the loss occurs

an ED is based on triage...and as heartbreaking as it sounds...a 16 week miscarriage is not a priority 1

xx yogababy

[~Serenity~]

I was just pointing out some of the reasons why interventions are higher in private hospitals. I am sure that some obs are c/section happy due to the pressure of being sued. I felt the private system was being projected in a bad light and my experience was fantastic.

I absolutley find is disgracful that a women has a miscarriage on the floor in a hospital. I don;t know if you have had a miscarriage yogababy, but from personal experience its life shattering and to happen on a toilet floor would be very very difficult to get over. I really feel for that woman.

I just wanted to share my positive experience in the private system .. its not all bad my ob was very pro natural birth and i think you just have to make your expectation clear. At 20 weeks I had a really long consultation with him and we went through the birth plan and what I wanted. (One specific thing was I didnt want a blood transfusion and I was willing to give blood beforehand to ensure I didnt recieve anyone elses blood). However I can only compare this to my best frends who went through public and nearly died. So yeah everyones personal experience is different I am sure there are horror stories from all perspectives

[blue daisy]

Hey Babybella

my intention was not to be controversial but rather to indicate that it is always going to be difficult for any m/c woman, at home, work or in a hospital ...I certainly send out my heartfelt sympathy to anyone who has suffered a m/c (and no I have not personally expereinced one)...but lets not place any negative feelings towards the health professionals working very hard in the public (and private) system

xx yogababy

[~Serenity~]

I am certain the heath professions work extremel hard however the government needs to employ more staff and give the public system needs a boost in funding. Maybe with the election looming one of the government parties might address this as it has had quite negative publicity of late.

[BellyBelly]

Intervention is anything which is not a normal process of birth - c/s, vacuum, inductions etc.

Many, many people that cant afford private care and are high risk also use the public system, there are high risk Obs working there too, like a woman I supported who had twins needed the high risk Ob. More high risk women are going to public hospitals than private Its a money thing. Many women are seeking IVF and fertility treatments so they see these people, then continue on with these Obs and it is a known fact the women are older and more likely to have more intervention...

I also know women who I have supported who have been distraught to have called the labour ward in labour only to find their Ob has gone on holidays and they havent met the back-up. So you can feel let down in public and private. My two were private. Next will be homebirth.

I am not saying Obs are bad or private is bad - there is good out there. But what is defined as best care and best technology is completely different. To me, best care is with a known midwife (independent or private midwife) who comes to my home for visits, knows me well and supports me pre-natally, my birth (lets face it obs are only there for the grand finale if they make it) and then follow through with lots of post natal care - not just a six week check up but breastfeeding support and all the rest - its real continuity of care. I dont think having an Ob is continuity because they are not at your labour, visits are short and there is one check up after birth. Its what some people want, and I am an not knocking it, but its interesting what our own unique ideas are of best care - thats what makes us all different