hollydog

Hello

I only have a work visa for 20 months and am a UK citizen. I am 34 weeks' pregnant and was expecting to pay for the care provided by a midwife. However, my midwife said today that her costs during labour ($1,200) also wouldn't be covered. I was under the impression that because the Ministry of Health's website states

"If a UK citizen or Australian resident is pregnant and covered under one of these agreements, they are eligible for immediate and necessary maternity care, including labour and birth, and immediate post-natal services. They must meet other eligibility criteria for fully funded LMC services."

this would include the midwife's care during the actual birth itself. I thought I'd better check this and was told that the person wasn't sure but would go and ask..she came back to say not only was the midwife's cost during the birth not covered, neither was the birth itself. The woman I spoke to said that only births with complications (such as needing an emergency C-section) would be covered by the NHS, and we would need to pay for the cost of the birth if everything went smoothly. This was an enormous shock as the way I read the above quote is that labour and birth would be included, but the ante- and some post-natal services wouldn't be.

Has anyone who didn't qualify for free health care and is a UK citizen given birth in NZ and it be covered under the reciprocal agreement? Or is what the lady told me correct and the cost of a 'normal' birth will have to be self-funded? I have spent the evening in tears trying to find out the relevant info but everything online just gives the above quoted paragraph which doesn't actually specify what is and what isn't covered.

Any advice would be appreciated...

MrsFychan

someone else was in a similar situation a few months back

http://britishexpats.com/forum/new-z...quired-838312/

BEVS

Hi there and welcome to the BE NZ forum.

I don't wish to appear unwelcoming at all but can you expand on this a little further please.

So. Exactly what work visa do you have and how did you gain that . When.

Do you mean you arrived in the UK on a two year visa and fell pregnant to someone around a year later?

Is the Father an NZ citizen or resident?

BEVS

Oh dear. What a mess.

Please read this

I think there is another thread about the costs to people like you.

BEVS

I will try.

From what I know, you will pay.

Edit HERE

BEVS

I will add that I am not sure why you thought that the country in which you are not resident would pay for birth care. Why would it. Reciprocal care is for emergency care and the like.

You are not resident & you know that.

It would seem that your residency application was declined. I am not sure on what you hinged the application of course ,but being pregnant will have weakened the case.

Best bet TBH.

Go back to your country of residence

edit..
I have realised this seems uncaring. It is not .I read your tears.

Please note though that even if the babe is born here you are not entitled to stay here. You have no status other than temp work permits.

lisamct

Just wanted to confirm whats pretty much already been said. I'm a midwife who works with a lot of women who are in your situation.

You aren't eligible for any free maternity care if you have a visa that lasts less that 24 months or if you dont have a partner who is a resident. You'll have to pay for all your ante natal, birth and post natal care. This includes any extra costs should you need a caesarean, extended hospital stay or if your baby needs a stay in special care for any reason, none of it is free.

Its a costly business and lots of women are pretty much forced to go back home or face a charge of anything from $4000-$15000.

BEVS

Do you?
I'm shocked & horrified actually. What leads them to think it will be fine . Do you know ?

I am also so very grateful that you have come along to post.

It may not have seemed it but I am worried for this person.

I really wish they were back in their home country but I think they are too far along the line .

BEVS

Actually a bit bizarre now. I see Hollydog has deleted her posts which is fine, however the quotes and responses remain.



So, I do hope that this thread will guide others in the future.

I hate to think of people struggling like this .

lisamct

Yup. I work in South Auckland and at the moment probably have 5 women in my caseload (out of about 45 in total) who are non eligible for free care. I do work for the DHB so we have all the non eligible women (as independant midwifes wont take them on at all)

I think lots of them dont realise they'll have to pay for care until they get pregnant and see a midwife for the first time so it often comes as a bit of a shock. Then they're already pregnant, often cant afford to go home (my women, in general, are from a low socio economic group) or they've come from circumstances that they feel it wouldnt be safe to return to. They also often think it'll be ok if they only see a midwife a few times and have no postnatal care because that'll be cheaper. Sadly, the way the DHB works as soon as they book with a midwife they're signed into a whole package that they'll be charged for regardless of how much of the care they attend for.

They're also often shocked at the actual amount that it costs. Just under $4000 for a normal pregnancy and birth which quickly mounts up if they need anything over and above that.

simonsi

Is flying anywhere even possible at 34/35 weeks???

Not even sure if travel insurance would cover this even if the OP has any....

Horrible situation to discover this close to the birth.

simonsi

BA website states restrictions after 36 weeks - so getting close, would still expect a minimum doctors letter to confirm due date in order to comply though.

Umm, unless multiple birth, then restrictions start at 32 weeks. I'd expect the major international carriers to be very similar.

hollydog

Just wanted to update the post for any UK citizen in a similar situation - the MOH woman I spoke to was incorrect and the eligibility specialist at my hospital has confirmed that under the reciprocal agreement, the birth itself is covered as it is generally interpreted as covering, for pregnancy, full-term childbirth services, or premature delivery. They also confirmed that post natal care for 6 weeks is also covered. They have put this in writing which of course is a big relief and sent links to different sections of the website which they refer to.

I was too upset to respond before but I believe from the wording on the website it would be clear why I was under the impression it was covered, and now it has been confirmed I feel much better. Responses about my immigration status and that of the baby and telling me to "go back home" were less than helpful under the circumstances but I have updated this so that anyone else who is panicking having been told incorrect info late into their pregnancy have some reassurance that if they are a UK citizen and qualify for health care the birth should be covered and if they are in any doubt, don't ring MOH whose staff were very unsure about what was and wasn't covered, ring your maternity section of the hospital (who were closed after I spoke to MOH originally) and get them to explain the situation instead.

lisamct

I find this really interesting as this has most definitely not been the case for any of the UK women I've looked after who have been in the same situation.

I find the fact that they've said they cover postnatal care even more interesting as this definitely doesn't fall under the category of immediate necessary treatment which is what the reciprocal agreement covers.

hollydog

I guess what the post-natal services my hospital refers to is what is described as 'immediate post-natal services' on the website. If the hospital are billing the NHS for each person they think is eligible they must be receiving the cash back to cover it as they were pretty on to it and billed when my UK friend had an operation there that wasn't covered.