Costs of Private Obstetrician?

Hi
I have no idea how it works, I don't have Health Insurance, but wondered how much to pay for a private Ob and use the Public hospital, How much do you get back off Medicare? Whats the safety net?
Thanks

Hi love,

I can't answer all the questions but i'll try and help. My private ob had a 'management fee' of $2600 which was due at my 20 week appointment - None of this was claimable through private health cover or medicare. Appointments were around $120 each and I got around $50 back from medicare each time. I had around 12 appointments over my pregnancy. I was in a private hospital and had private health cover so my stay didn't cost me anything. A public hospital should be free but I don't think it will be easy finding a private ob that will deliver in a public hospital. xx

Similar to Amy, My OBs fee was $2900 in 2012, however that covered all antenatal appointments no matter how many were needed. When I had my first it was only around $1200 (2009) but then the way the medicare covered OBs etc changed and out of pocket prices for patients went up. My DD arrived so fast (10 mins after I arrived at hospital) she was delivered by a midwife anyway hahahahahaha. Also a private patients in a private hospital so there was no cost to us for the hospital stay as our PHI covered that.
Generally most OBs will specify which hospitals they deliver in

I'll have a look tomorrow at my ob's fee structure but I did get a bit back from Medicare, especially once you hit the saftey net.

Not sure, but I don't think you can have a private ob but use the public hospital without having to pay for the hospital as well. As in you can't opt to be a public patient with a private ob. Not sure if that's what you were asking though.

Hi,
I'm in melbourne and due in 8 weeks. I have paid around $200 each for 12 & 20 week scans. $210 for initial OB appt and $45 for each subsequent appointment (every 4 weeks first 30 weeks and then fortnightly from 30 weeks), $3900 OB management fee (about $400 back from m'care). The management fee is supposed to be paid at 20 weeks, but I asked to pay it late to make the most of reaching the annual m'care threshold which I think is around $1250... It runs from Jan to Dec, so I paid early Jan so that we get a higher rebate from m'care all year.. I think it's 85%? We are using our PHI for the private hospital and pay $200 refundable deposit to the hospital and $500 excess to PHI. I am having a c/section so have another approx $1000 out of pocket costs for anaethetist, pediatrician and OB assistant. There was a small rebate from Medicare for the scans but get around $40 back from each OB appt...
Hope that helps :)

You would need to find an ob who has delivery rights at the public hospital you would want to use, but they work on a roster and so if you required the care of an obstetrician at delivery, you would be attended by whomever was rostered on. I don't think that an ob would agree to deliver you privately in a public hospital, and I'm not sure you would find a public hospital which would agree for you to be delivered privately! Your only option, I think, would be to delivery privately in a private hospital as a self funded patient, but the cost would be prohibitive for most people.

It's worth ringing a couple of ob's to ask the question, I'm interested in what the answer is! :)

ETA: there is a cap on what medicare will rebate for obstetrician's fees, it's somewhere around $400 for delivery and a little bit extra for management - you could ask at your local medicare office. In 2010, I paid a total of $6500 for my ob and medicare refunded around $600. I paid about $200 per US and think I got back around $50... can't remember the exact figures, but it cost a lot and I have PHI which covered the hospital fees.

Is there a reason why you're asking for this type of care? If you want continuity of care throughout your pregnancy there are public hospitals that have a system where you will have one OB or MW throughout your care. It would also probably be cheaper to hire a MW and have a home birth given you don't have PHI and that offers great continuity of care. Otherwise a doula can be another option. Just throwing out ideas as I'm not sure what type of care you're actually looking for :)

Thanks ladies, I went public last time, but due to trying to keep the pregnancy quiet for the first few months and knowing staff who work in antenatal at the hospital. I wondered if I could see one of the Obs in his private rooms, rather than the hospital.

A private midwife could also do your prenatal care, many are now medicare eligible, and then attend your birth with you. Some hospitals allow private midwives to act as midwives, but others only allow them as support people. It would give you the continuity of care, and appointments with the midwife would be held at your house or at their room (not at a hospital).

good luck in finding someone right for you.

You can be a private patient in a public hospital. This means that the public hospital would normal Bill your phi and your can have the Ob of your choice deliver as long as he is registered to deliver at the particular public hospital.

Thanks for all the advice Ladies,
Hopefully sorted now. I have rang round this morning and managed to get in to see one of the best high risk Ob's in the area, he will see me in the private rooms, not at the hospital clinic (Yay!) and will bulk bill me (double Yay!). I let you know more after my first appt next week.

how did your first appt go?

Hi Gee Whizzy, first appt went well, saw the Ob and he is fabulous, and quite handsome as well ;)
So much better than last time when I had to sit for hours in the high risk antenatal clinic.

oh yaay! glad to hear it all went well and the added bonus of a spunky caregiver :D