How much should I budget for?? Re: scans, blood tests

[Ahurani]

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

[Tinks]

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.

[Ahurani]

Im going public at MMC

[LimeSlice]

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.

[HotI]

All up maybe $300 or so...so not much at all.

It's all relative to your own circumstances really. For some people $300 is a lot of money.

[LimeSlice]

It's all relative to your own circumstances really. For some people $300 is a lot of money.

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.

[Frantelle]

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

[Just Me]

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.