Litia - if you see an OB privately, then medicare will cover some of your expenses - then you cover the gap. If you have Private health insurance - this will pay for your hospital stay.
I've had 2 sections and I'm in private health cover - so I get a referral from my GP for an OB. Then make an appointment with the OB and go from there. I take all my receipts from my appointments to medicare and get whatever I'm entitled to, after I have paid for them at the OB's.
Public system is like what the other girls said (actually, I'm not quite sure how it works cos I don't use it.. )
Good luck!!! We have great hospitals here in Queensland
Thank you - sounds like you do what I do. I went public with my first baby and after that I chose private. May I ask how much it cost you out of pocket? Here all the prices have gone up since funding changed - it will now cost me about $2000 to have my own OB deliver me in the public hospital.
I can't remember off hand what the gap cost was... I know towards the end each OB appointment was $70ish and I got back around $60 from medicare - and I think we got around $1200 back from when we paid our care management fee of $1850.
Didn't have to pay any extra for delivery fee as my private health covers that, plus the anaethetists' (sp?) fee.
I don't actually add it up what it costs out of our pocket - might be too scary... LOL
LOL I can understand not adding it up!
Here the anaethetists' are covered under womans' health so I don't have to pay for that, or the hospital stay. If I didn't have private health cover in Australia it would be a pricey experience - well that's what I gather from your post. If I moved now already pregnant and applied for private insurance it would be considered a pre-exisiting condition too - so public would really be my only affordable option.
Which hospital is the prefered in Brisbane? Is there one close to the CBD?
I can't help you with recommendations in Brisbane since I'm on the Sunny Coast.
And I know my private health cover - if you don't already have cover when you fall pregnant and then you get cover - will pay a certain percentage of the cost for a private hospital - just a thought
A GP would definitely be your local doctor, A gap is any amount not covered by Medicare or PHI. Public is free if you are eligible for medicare. Before you make your final decision I would recommend contacting immigration and finding out if you will be eligible.
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