Homebirth General Discussion #12

**TeniBear** · January 13th, 2013, 07:52 PM

You need a GP to sign off on it if you want to have a medicare eligable midwife.

That's what we'll probably aim for, it's always money money money around here

I know nothing about Medicare though, just to clarify - We pay everything and then go to Medicare and get the extra back? I think that's what we did when I was charged for a blood test... I'm so not qualified to operate in the adult world

I know NOTHING.

**Jennifer13** · January 13th, 2013, 08:36 PM

Some mws are Medicare eligible and some are not. I don't think it is because of the GP. Mine had to register, but honestly, the rebate only applies to a very small portion of the fee, pre and post natal visits only. Not the birth.

**PumpkinZulu** · January 13th, 2013, 08:57 PM

Yeah, so I'm pretty sure (someone correct me if I'm wrong) to be a Medicare eligible midwife in Aus, you need to have a collaborative agreement with an OB or GP (who perhaps is an OB, dunno!). For my midwife, the relationship only goes as far as him writing a brief letter saying basically yep, this midwife is good to go lol. So you have your antenatal visits and pay, then you're given an invoice for Medicare, you go in and get that back. Our visits were at home, $110 a visit, I believe it was $45 back from Medicare (haven't actually gone in and done this yet haha) and antenatal visits it's $75 back which is huge. There are no rebates available for birth fees, so for us there was an $800 on call fee per midwife and a $900 birth fee per midwife.

**Jennifer13** · January 14th, 2013, 05:59 AM

I found this online (so it may or may not be correct, but it does sound like what I was told):

What the Medicare changes mean
From November 1 2010, midwives and nurse practitioners are able to receive payment for providing services outside the public health system. These nurses and midwives are also able to prescribe a range of medicines that fall under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Midwives in private practice will need to be registered and hold a Medicare provider number and a PBS prescriber number.
Which midwives are eligible for Medicare rebates?
To be eligible for rebates, midwives need to be registered either under the National Registration Accreditation Scheme or with a state or territory board. Under the new scheme, specific private midwives who qualify will be able to provide ante-natal care, delivery and post-birth services under Medicare. This means if you find a participating midwife you can experience continuity of pregnancy care under a midwife of your choice.

Pretty sure no collaborative arrangement is required. Only one of the mws I know in Sydney does have a collaborative arrangement/practicing rights at a hospital, but I've heard even this is a moving feast and atm it's based on hospital staffing levels as well.

**HotI** · January 14th, 2013, 06:40 AM

You don't need anybody to sign off anything for you to homebirth - you just have to stay home until your baby is born

The others have covered off on the medicare side of things, but i have heard that some midwives have raised their fees along with their medicare eligibility and so the final costs may be similar between two midwives even if one is medicare eligible and the other is not. I know costs can be worrisome, i did all sorts of things in order to raise the money to pay my midwife, but how you connect with the midwife is seriously the most important thing.

Another mate had a baby, another forceps job, it is just crazy how broken our bodies are when we go to hospital.

**loulabelle** · January 14th, 2013, 06:46 AM

Hey guys, haven't been online much lately, but I'm guessing I will be a little more now as we've just had a surprise bfp. Scary! But yay for another homebirth! Due September sometime.

**HotI** · January 14th, 2013, 06:53 AM

September 2013 is getting busy!!!!

Babies Arrived

Jennifer13- Baby GIRL born at home 4th January 2012

Bella29- Baby GIRL born at home 10th January

HotI - Baby BOY born at home 21st January

*Ash*- Baby BOY born at home 14th February

loulabelle - Baby BOY born at home 24th February

Cricket - Baby GIRL born at home 15th May

chocorama - May

...Em - Baby BOY born at home 7th June

BellyBelly - Baby GIRL born 11th August

Tanya - Baby BOY born at home 16th August

phynna - Baby GIRL born at home 8th September

lady_neon - Baby BOY born 27th September

Ambersky - Baby BOY born at home 3rd October

Cassius - Baby GIRL born at home 4th November

Ice cream - September

mirriumu - November

Pumpkinzulu - Baby GIRL born at home 12th December

Babies On Their Way

turtlejane - January

Sara - February

Ree*Ree - March

Aimz - March

Bellany - March

Beatrix - April

Rubyshoes - April

HomeStyleMumma - May

Dollyroux - June

ladybirdflies - June

sepata - September

WilliamsMummy - September

Cricket - September

Loulabelle - September

**loulabelle** · January 14th, 2013, 08:35 AM

I'm on the list twice, for born and due! I must be crazy.

**Cricket** · January 14th, 2013, 09:44 AM

Nah - I'm right there beside you Loulabelle.

And mine are closer than yours. Also a bit of a surprise there. Don't worry - it will be just fine. #4 and #5 were only 13 months apart for me, and I was scared to bits that it was going to be awful, but it was no big deal. Congratulations on your BFP - look forward to being belly buddies with you!

**loulabelle** · January 14th, 2013, 10:23 AM

Hehe I just noticed, cricket! Congratulations!

**Jennifer13** · January 14th, 2013, 10:42 AM

That better not be a pattern for 2012 hb bubbas...

**loulabelle** · January 14th, 2013, 01:41 PM

Watch out, Jen!

**Ilithyia** · January 14th, 2013, 06:32 PM

WOW!! Nice to see a healthy 2013 list

))

Congratulations Loula and Cricket xx

Well its just hit me how close we are now! I'm picking up the birth pool tomorrow!! So exciting but a little daunting at the same time. Belly cast is booked in for Friday.

Am wondering.... Did you have a birth plan? Both home and hospital (transfer)?

**Jennifer13** · January 14th, 2013, 07:00 PM

Yay, Sara! So close now.

I had a birth plan that was really only for hospital (none of my instructions would apply to my HB mws, who already knew my wishes and wouldn't do any of my 'no's anyway). I made sure a copy went on my hospital file and there was a copy at home to take if we needed to transfer. I love it when all that planning is totally unnecessary!

**Eenee** · January 14th, 2013, 07:04 PM

Oh Cassius

where have I been! Didn't know, glad all is ok now.
Totally get how taxing that is. Hope things are back to normal soon!

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PLnYrTSK6UE
Thought I'd share considering somehow I managed to change the privacy settings and now 800+ people have seen it so what's a few more!!!! It's of DD's birth by the way. Contains birth footage obviously.

I've managed to fix it so able to be viewed on mobiles now. I watched it with DD she loved it.

Congrats loulabelle

Sara not long to go now! Umm my MW kind of just knew what I wanted so didn't have anything written as such.

**Mum2twoBoys** · January 14th, 2013, 08:40 PM

Beautiful thanks for sharing em.

**Eenee** · January 15th, 2013, 06:02 AM

Beautiful thanks for sharing em.

Thanks.

YouTube went and changed the settings back so can't be played on iPhone again!

**HomeStyleMumma** · January 15th, 2013, 12:58 PM

Yay congrats loulabelle!

Sneaky welcome Teni, hopefully we will be able to give you an 'official' welcome really soon

Sara woohoo for fullterm! Enjoy these last few days/weeks. Oh and no I never had a birthplan written... Not even for my hospital births really tho either probably a lot to do with just being lazy lol

Anyone heard from turtlejane??

On another woohoo for homebirth my sil had her 7th baby (4th hb) at home yesterday morning!

a health baby girl (her 5th!) weighing 4.23kg