How much should I budget for?? Re: scans, blood tests
I am really really confused about the scans, what exactly I have to pay for etc..
So I paid for the dating scan..
Do I have to pay for the 10week blood test and the 12w Nuchal scan?
What other costs am I in for? Before getting pregnant I thought these things would probably be bulk billed.
Im in Melbourne
Registered User
Are you going private or public A?
My sister went public and didn't have to pay for anything because it was all done at the hospital she went to.
I think ultrasounds were the only thing she was out of pocket for.
When I went private I was out of pocket heaps, nothing was bulk billed.
Im going public at MMC
Registered User
I only had t pay for the drs appointment to get the bloods referral and the US referrals (but a Bulk Billing GP won't cost anything)
As for scans, I think I paid a gap for all mine through private US services - like SKG (not through hosptial)
All up maybe $300 or so...so not much at all.
Registered User
I went public and had to pay for my scans upfront (at radiology) and then got a certain amount back (this was for the dating, 12week and 20 week scan). I also had to pay for my 12 week bloods (I think $20.00 for [pathology and $150.00 for testing).
I have now been referred to the midwives by my Dr and do not know if I need any further scans etc or if I will have to pay.
Oh and I also have to pay $35.00 for the birthing classes.
Hope this helps
BellyBelly Member
It depends where you get your scans done - all of mine are bulk billed except for the 20 weeks scan which costs about $170 and I get $85 back from medicare. There are other X ray clinics here that bulk bill everything and if I got my scans done at the hospital where I am giving birth then they would also bulk bill it all.
As long as I have signed the pathologists form, I have never been charged for blood tests or any pathology tests that I have needed done. I did forget to sign the pathology form for one of them and they sent me a bill in the mail (it was about $45) and I was reimbursed the whole lot by medicare. Alternatively, you can forward the bill onto medicare and they will send you a cheque made out to the pathology lab where your tests were done and you just take the cheque in to pay for it.
ETA: I did share care with my GP so I had to pay my GP bill (as per usual - so I was out of pocket about $30 per visit) until I switched to the midwifery care program run by the hospital. Instead of seeing my GP every 4 weeks and then every 2, I saw the midwives instead. This was also free. The birthing classes run by the public hospital were also free. I guess it just depends on your local hospital and GP. If you don't want to pay for scans, ask your GP if they can refer you to a bulk billing X-Ray clinic - mine has always asked me where I would like to go.
Registered User
It's all relative to your own circumstances really. For some people $300 is a lot of money.
Registered User
I didn't mean to imply it wasn't simply thar over 20 weeks of a pregnancy it isn't as mch as one might think. It isn't all at once. I understand that $300 might be lot to some people but I shouldn't have to preface everything I say with "to me.... to others..." I thought that went without saying really.
Registered User
my dating scan was bulk billed, but it's going to be $190 for the nuchal (10-13wk) scan.Thankfully, I should be able to save that by then. Not sure if I can claim anything back from Medicare. From memory, when I was pg with ds, the 18-20wk scan was around the same, but I could claim some from medicare.
I was/am public, all the way .
BellyBelly Life Subscriber
I'm not sure about the NT scan as we didn't have one, but depending where you go you should be able to get bulk-billed for the 19-week one. Blood tests also should be bulk-billed via your GP.
If you want extra scans or 3/4D ones, then you may have to go to a private billing place. I can't remember what we paid for our 19-week scan the first time - must have been somewhere between $100-200.
Registered User
I was public in SA, dating scan through hospital was free, morphology scan was free through the hospital, nuchal test isnt covered by medicare so there is a charge for that but the bloods through the hospital wasnt going to cost anything either.
Wow Im super lucky I havent paid anything for any of my medical needs with any of my pregnancies. Im a public patient
BellyBelly Life Subscriber
I asked about medicare when i booked my NT scan and they told me cause it wasnt a REQUIRED scan there was no medicare rebate. Not bad after shelling out $200 for something they recommend. I didnt ask about the bloods i have to have done 10 days before.my dating scan was bulk billed, but it's going to be $190 for the nuchal (10-13wk) scan.
I was/am public, all the way .
You'd think they would subsidise the NT scan considering if you DO have a DS baby it will be more on the health system.. ergh its looking bad for my bank balance atm
Registered User
I would check what your hospital is going to be covering. My hospital only did the 20 week ultrasound, and they do all the other blood tests, GD test etc.
I paid for a NT test. I was out of pocket $85 for the blood test and $40 for the ultrasound.
Registered User
Have you asked the hospital? Both of my girls were born at MMC however I transferred at 20 ish weeks with both after I found out about their problems. I had my 12 week scans and Amnio/CVS done privately before this date. After I was transferred to Monash they organised all of my scans (and there were many) and I did not pay at all, they were bulk billed.
Otherwise, from memory my blood test was around the $100 mark (they send out a bill) and the ultrasound was just under $200 (you pay on the day) for the 12 week NT testing, I did get some money back for the ultrasound, I *think* I got some back for the bloodtest too.
The hospital should definately bulk bill your 20 week scan and any others if needed.
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