private patient in public hospital

[1MOREPLZ]

OK if this isn't meant to go here please move it

just wanting to know HOW this works???
obviously you pay your OBs fees...but what happens etc...with the public hospital???
can someone/anyone?? explain to the dummy....me

[CrazyLady]

I think depending on the hospital you get a private room and have a gap to pay. Is that what you mean?

[~Kim~]

I was a private pt but public hossy with DS, however in the country where Obs are extremely rare I just went through the m/w clinic and saw the same Ob (cos I was special lol) throughout. The hossy even paid our excess for us.

With DD though there was a risk I would need the public hossy so my Ob was just going to go there instead. We would have just claimed the hospital like you do at the private hospital.

Though it depends on your reason for going to the public hospital, they can't guarantee you a private room. When you book in there is a form that you tick whether you have private insurance and will be/will not be using it or if you are just a public pt.

[1MOREPLZ]

hmmmmm i really am puzzled.....we have health insurance but not covered for pregnancy.....i am willing to pay the OBs fees but because we are only covered for 'hospital'wanting to know how the costs (if there are any) for staying in the public/delivering in the public hospital.....
do you get what i'm on about??? coz i am confusing myself :P

[~Kim~]

Yep i understand. The potential costs would only really be the Ob fees, and weird blood work, and an anaesthetist bill should you need one. Your hospital cover should cover the rest.

[Schmickers]

If you ring the hospital, they will be able to give you a cost per day of your stay, not counting fees to doctors or anaesthetists. Your OB should be able to give you an idea of his fees, and refer you to an anaesthetist if you are anticipating you might use one.

[Liz]

I was in public as a private patient for a few days when Kayla was prem (birthed there, then stayed for 4 nights before transferring to private). Didn't get my own room, and didn't have anything to pay. And we got 2 parking tokens per day cos we were private LOL. Saved us parking fees at least! haha.

[thepixie]

Sorry to hijack Katones but is it possible to go in as a private patient when you don't have your own OB? I don't particularly want/ need an ob (and I haven't got one at 11 weeks so probably couldn't find one now) but I would be happy to use private health cover for the hospital stay even if I didn't get a private room ITMS? Arrrgh why is it so hard to find anything out about hospitals!