Public or Private - I'm torn!

[Loupy]

Hi ladies,

I'm sure there are a thousand different threads on this topic. I'm just so 50/50 on the public/private debate. And I know there are many factors which I haven't even considered.

DH and I have private insurance. My sister tells me if we have private insurance, we'd be mad not to use it, and if we decide to go public, we'd be using a bed that someone who doesn't have private ins might need.

I understand it's good to have an OB if there are complications, but how is anyone ever meant to know (early on) if there will be?

I'd love to go to the RBH (Brisbane) to get into the birth centre, which is by ballot for a healthy pregnancy. And I don't think it really bothers me if I'm in a shared room if I don't get into the birth centre.

Am I missing something major that will make me think differently?

[PinkPalace]

I have private health.
I chose to have both babies public.

I like the supports and the backup the large tertiary public hospitals have.
I also choose midwife care not doctors so i didnt see a dr with even birth (#2 was at home after all anyhow!).

So i figure what is the point paying for an ob when i want midwife care.

My sister chose private - and didnt even see her ob.
the midwifes looked after her until it was time for a c-s and then the ob came in.

SHe will go public next time too.

I have always had a private room for both babies.

[tellytubby]

I've got private health too, but chose public

Everyone to their own, but in the end i just can't justify spending soo much money on seeing a private ob, when i can see a public ob for free? Would rather put all the upfront and ongoing costs towards the baby.

I shared my room with DD, and i'll be honest, it was a pain in the butt- but not that big of a pain in the butt for me to choose private second time round

Goodluck with your decision - but by no means don't think that public health is second to private (i had complications after having DD, and had to be rushed into emergency theatre, i was later told had i been at the private hospital, they would have transfered me anyway).

Its a personal choice - do what you feel comfortable with!

[Fuzzywuzzy]

I have private health insurance but chose to go public and ended up getting into the rbh birth centre and had DD there. I don't think that you should go private purely because you have private health insurance and the idea that you would be taking someone else's 'spot.' Everyone should be able to give birth the way that they want to and if you wish to have midwife led care then go for it. Good luck for the ballot! I would register for it just in case, even if you end up going private you can always turn it down.

[Erin_25]

I agree with not worrying about going "private" because you have the insurance...........many of us have private health insurance for so many other reasons.
I have it & chose to go public with DS & will again this time. For me it's simple, we live in small rural community & don't even have the option of getting an ob anyway. So there is no point spending the $$$$ to be a private patient. I will always get a room to myself & the care I need. Infact any time we go to the hosp we go a public, unless we need to see a specialits or do not want to be on a waiting list etc.

[2CheekyMonkeys]

i would go public because a) i cant afford private, there are ALOT of out of pocket costs involved. b) private patients seem to generally be induced, or c-sects (very general statement i realise) c) you arent guaranteed a private room anyway d) i went public twice and i didnt have any dramas or issues.

[grub17]

hi loupy,

i'm going private with our private cover cos i figured that's what we've paid for and I am not keen on sharing a room afterwards. But we have extenuating circumstances and i probably would have just gone public if i'd been able to conceive naturally etc

as it was we hit the 80% medicare rebate by february thnaks to IVF and are only $400 out of pocket for our private obs and hopstial (which isn't a big deal given we both work full tme and have no financial burdens). Also we chose our obs because she was the doc who transferred the only embryo that has ever stuck - so we felt a connection to her and she knew us.

i really think there's pros and cons for both and its such a personal choice. maybe it would be better to ask around locally in your area of some mums and see what they say. I know one of our public hosp in my area you wouldn't touch with a stick, but the other is very very highly regarded in terms of maternity etc.

if you are really in doubt, i'd go public cos at least you aren't out of pocket any money. i suppose you've got to look at the reasons to go private and whether they are really improtant to you or not.

good luck hun.