Elective ceserian in Melborne

[perlez]

I live in Melbourne and I'm planning a baby. However I would like to have an elective cesarean and I heard that I have to be covered by private health insurance in order to choose between cs and natural birth. I don't have private health insurance and before I get pregnant I will be covered by heath insurance. I was just wondering if anyone knows if I can ask for elective cesarean when covered by private health insurance and how much does it approximately cost? Thanks

[Miss E]

If you want an elective CS you will have to go through the private system, I don't believe the public system will allow electives. Unfortunately private health insurance really only covers your hospital costs. There are a lot of other costs that are only partly covered by medicare. For us our out of pocket costs were roughly:

- obstetrician - $2,200
- scans and blood tests - $800
- aneathisists - $500
- paediatrician - $150
- private health insurance excess and cost to have DH stay at hospital $500

How much medicare covers depends on when you reach the medicare safety net which operates on a calendar year. We reached our safety net pretty early on, but were still out of pocket for the above costs. If we had of reached it later we would've been out of pocket a lot more.

Do you mind me asking why you want an elective CS? I had to have an emergency one and I have to tell you that it takes a long time to recover from it because it is major surgery.

[Olive]

it may depend on the circumstances, my best friend had two elective c/s, in a public hospital, id ring the hospital where you wish to deliver and ask them

[rufalina]

Another thing to check with PHI is the waiting periods for obstectrics... Usually they are 13 months. So you need to get cover before you fall pregnant.....

[MamaPan]

yes i know of some people who had elective CS in the public system - it depends on your reasons why you wish to have it...
suggest you call the hosp or speak to your gp for some advice.