does anyone know how much extra you pay to see an obs without private health insurance?
I went and saw my gp and he said that I didn't have to have a obs as no complications.
I live in the langwarrin/frankston area - does anyone know of a good obs or any thoughts on frankston hospital as a public patient?
Your GP is right, you dont need to see an obstitrician if you have a low risk pregnancy.
Im on the other side of town so cant comment on that hospital, but there are obs. you can see if you want to have one, that work out of public hospitals where you can still see the same OB throughout your pg. Any rebates for appts, fees etc would come under medicare not PHI.
Do you specifically want an OB? If not I think frankston hospital has a midwifery model of care running out of the hospital or next door?
Last edited by Pandora; February 23rd, 2009 at 09:38 AM.
If low risk I so highly recommend midwife care over OB. Im on baby number three and went OB first time (he missed the birth cost a FORTUNE) and then midwife team second time (awesome) and this time started with an OB just because of the hospital rules, and then felt so uncomfortable I changed hospitals back to midwife care.
Each OB charges different prices, but you'd be looking at at least a couple of thousand.
hi,
thanks for your responses. I am undecided as to whether or not I want an obs. everyone I know who has had babies has had one, so it seems like what I should do. does anyone know the adv of having one?
Its good to know that I can still have one and give birth at a public hospital too.
Leslie,
I am a high risk pregnancy and this time around through location only I went through the midwife care at the local base hossy. We are in the country nad if I had wanted and Ob like with my first preg I would have had to travel 400km round trip each time and then to the hospital.
I have found this time much better care and much more relaxed. I can ask more questions without being herded through. They chat, they only run late if they're busy not cos they've over booked and you meet the midwives before you are actually in labour.
My frind who has no PHI is paying $100 per visit (with the 400km round trip each time) and $3000 for the private hospital....just don't understand why.
I am going to the Royal Womens (Public Hospital - Not Frances Perry) and I have an OB. She delivers at both the Royal Womens and Frances Perry. My decision for choosing an OB was b/c I wanted the consistency of care, and I liked the idea of the one on one with an OB. However, choosing to go to a public hospital also meant I would not be out o pocket as much as going to a private hospital.
There are plenty of OB's that deliver at public hospitals, you just need to call around if that is the option you wish to take.
Go the middies! LOL!
If you have no complications, this will be your best option money-wise. Unless you want to do shared care with your GP and your GP bulk bills.
I have done both, and TBH I preferred the midwife care from last time, but I am at a different much bigger hospital this time round, so chose the shared care because the waiting time at my GP's is much less than at the hospital.
It means that at the hospital I see Drs and not midwives. This kind of annoys me because my pregnancies are not complicated (so far) and the waiting time is longer for the Dr than for a midwife and the Dr does exactly the same thing.
Both of these options have cost me no out of pocket expenses. (I have PHI but have no desire to see an OB when my pregnancies seem perfectly normal and uncomplicated.)
ETA: I mentioned the money, but midwives also give fantastic care. I wouldn't recommend them otherwise.
I just recently gave birth at Frankston Hospy - I found it excellent. I had alot of reservations about them, but i had a room to myself and was happy with the midwives, etc. Having said that for a straightforward vaginal birth they will only keep you in for two nights, not sure on caesarian - I had a very quick one hour labour, only got to the hospy at 6am and finn was born at 6.27 am, so there wasnt much that could go wrong iykwim. Throughout my pregnancy I had shared care with my lovely GP in Mt Eliza - pm me if you want her details - she is an approved GP with the maternity section at Frankston Hospy - or the midwife model of care is supposed to be good too - I just wanted to see my GP throughout. If you have any other questions please PM me. The maternity section has just had a major overhaul/rennovation, so is all nice and new.
My gawd that was a very quick, straight forward birth., well done!
were you a public or private patient? as I didn't think you could have your own room if public?
I would love the details of your GP in Mt Eliza.
Were they helpful with breast feeding etc.
There are also a couple of good gps that do obstetrics in langwarrin...one is my gp...another I know of at a nearby practice with a good rep...both can deliver a frankston.
sorry to sound dumb, but when you say gp that does obs - do yo mean a gp that specialises in pregnancy or is the gp an obstatrician? hope that makes sense and sorry for being so naive.
The GP is just a GP who is approved by certain hospitals to provide antenatal care. I'm not sure how they get approved, but they would have had a lot of experience with pregnant mums-to-be.
My GP wont be present at the birth of my baby, and I think it is pretty unusual for the GP to attend the birth.
As for the private room, it shouldn't make a difference if you are a private or a public patient. Being a private patient in a public hospital never guarantees you a private room. They probably try to give c/s patients priority with private rooms, however in other cases it is probably first in first served. The hospital I went to last time had just been refurbished and only had private rooms
My GP does what they called shared care and he does actually attend births....I know he does at Peninsula private for sure so i would assume he has similar rights at Frankston...he has done extra training in certain areas and is able to handle low risk pregnancies and births.....the other Gp i know of is the same.
LAURIN ... Geez you have bet my record ... i arrived at the hospital 11.00am and gave birth 11.39am
LESLEY ... Does your public hospital have what is called a * Primary Midwifery Program * ??
I went through this program at the public hospital in Ballarat (i was a private patient BUT it makes no difference with this program you can be a public patient) ... my friends whom all had their 2nd child told me to give the OB a miss and go with any midwife avenue as at the end of the day they are often the ones doing all the work (well that's what they told me as some didn't even have an OB turn up for their births)
I was pregnant with my first child at 40 and my care by the Midwifery Program was just FANTASTIC ... If there were any concerns the midwives would get an OB to see (so i still had that OB care there anyway)
The Midwifery Program consisted of 4 midwives with at least 20years experience each ... you are allocated to one midwife whom hopefully will be it at the birth ... and you meet the other 3 incase you might end up with one of them ... so you develop a close relationship with at least two of the midwives which is so comforting
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no private health insurance
... If there were any concerns the midwives would get an OB to see (so i still had that OB care there anyway)
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