easygroove

I know this has probably been posted on various forums before but wanted to get a few clear answers to importnat questions

We're expecting our first baby in Jan 07! Great news but a little aprehensive, lots of questions and not too many answers yet.

We're on 457's and have reciprocal medicare cover. So far we have been using public health system rather than private. Any views on whether we should be going for private over public care?

We're sponsored and therefore have medical insurance (all costs reimbursed through insurance) but not sure whether this will extend to costs associated with pregnancy? If we wanted to go private could we claim all expenses?

Is reciprocal medicare going to cover us for pregnancy?

Our local hospital is Manly, does anyone have any experience here?

thanks

JAJ

Quite possible the answer is no, as pregnancy is not an emergency condition. But others will be able to advise more specifically.

As you're not permanent residents, the child will not be an Australian citizen by birth, and you will not be eligible for any government benefits.

BillandAbby

Can't give you much helpful advice other than to say good luck with your first babe. Our son is 18 months old now and we flew out to Manley/Harbord to visit my parents who live there when he was about 6 months old. We used the Health Centre in Harbord where we could get him weighed and get advice from the health visitor for free. They were great - and god knows you need the support - I worried about everything! We have just got our visas through and plan to migrate early 2007 (Jan/Feb) providing we sell the house. Ultimately we hope to end up in Queensland but will no doubt spend some time with my parents in Queenscliff before moving on. From what I gather from friends and family over there already the Oz maternity system is heavy on the health visitor and less so on the hospital/GP - my advice would be to try and work out which is your nearest clinic and get on their list for support. Once the babe is born the best thing you can do is hook up with lots of people with babies born around the same time. When you can't believe you can survive on so little sleep it is great to meet up for coffee with people who can truly empathise!

Good Luck with it all - for us it was probably the most traumatic period of our lives (our babe came somewhat earlier than anticipated at 32 weeks) but also the most fantastic.

Abby

zoe13

hi
i can't really comment on the reciprocal health thing, but i can say that the australian system is well set-up. i'm in south australia and we have child and youth health who are the out-of-hospital assistance; all the states/territories have the equivalent. they have drop in centres for weighing, measuring, leaflets, advice, new parents groups (yes, a godsend as someone said) etc etc. i was advised by most health professionals when i arrived 6 months pregnant last year to go public as the local public hospital was so good (women and children's in adelaide) and if anything went wrong (it didn't thank goodness) that is where you would go anyway. the hospital was great.
asides from the normal pregnancy induced panic i wouldn't worry too much about having a baby over here (though i would want to check out what services you can get on the reciprocal agreement). they do help you to integrate - never having worked over here meant it was hard for me to integrate but i have met other girls with babies and i did a new parent group thing with child and youth health and we meet up at each other's houses now. though the conversation is mostly about nappies, poo, puke, no sleep etc etc....

hope it all goes well x

marie_chris

Hey

Congrats on the exciting news!! I am also expecting our first and we are due in Jan07 although came as a very big shock :scared: Only difference here is that we are PR so I don't need to worry about that side of things as we are eligible for Medicare HOWEVER my friend who is on same visa as you and is sponsored with private insurance and entitled to reciprocal went the public route and couldn't have had a better experience! She just had her baby 3wks ago. She was advised to take advantage of the reciprocal because the private medical cover DID omit several costs that she was not liable for going public. Also, she was told that even with private care she would not be guaranteed a room to herself or that if circumstances arose where it was an early delivery or complications that the doctor you have selected may not be available. She was looked after by the Royal Womens Hospital by a team of midwives and doctors in Randwick and had a great experience all round. She even bagged her own room although that was probably cos she had an emergency C section poor lass. Given what she has told me and from what I have seen of her care I have no issues with going public myself.

Anyway, very best to you throughout your pregnancy!!

Maz

Gold Coaster

Hi,

You do not need to worry, we are on a 457 with no private cover and Medicare picks up the whole cost for everything on the reciprocal agreement.

If you opt for a natural/water birth you will be assigned a midwife for the whole duration and after. Thats what we have got and you would pay thousands for that care in the U.K. This is our first and due this October.

You would have to check about the midwife and natural birth as only a few hospitals are set up for it.

Tony

threlly

hi there,
i just had my little girl at Manly(sydney) hospital 12 weeks ago. the hospital looked after me really well and let me stay in longer as i had only just moved to sydney and it was my first baby. they knew all my family was in england so i got extra help. the food there was bad, but apart from that i have no complaints. i have pr so it was all covered by medicare. because i had diabetes when pregnant i saw a specialist dr for that and a dietician. they really looked after me and i am due there next week as i have just had my diabetes test again(it should go after pregnancy)
they r really keen on breastfeeding and give lots of help with that. i got really friendly with other new mums there and the hospital arranged a reunion a month after we all left and since then we now meet up every wednesday. also, i receive support from family support services as a midwife there contacted them about me having no family here and they keep an eye on me and call me up and have visited me at home twice.
they will also arrange mums group for you. mine is really good, we finished 4 weeks ago but still meet up once a week. i was offered manly mums group but decided not to go there as i thought it woudl be full of brits and i wanted to meet aussies so went to the frenchs forest 1 instead. anyway, good luck

gedge

Manly is a great hospital. We had friends there for their first born last year. couldn't fault it. We would have gone there for our first too as we lived in Queenscliff, but as we moved up to Av we chose Mona Vale instead. Again a great hospital. The care here is really good. They take time and look after you well. It will be a shame if they close the maternity units at both these places, which may be on the cards but it won't happen before Jan so don't worry.

threlly

both r staying open. it was in the manly daily a few weeks ago

gedge

Great news. I haven't read a paper in the last 4 weeks.
If I did have one in my hands I'd probably wonder what it was and try to attach it to my son's bum with a safety pin.

movetoperth

With privatehealth care your out of pocket expenses can be be in the region of $2k-$3k, it can be less or more depending on your OBs method of charging and the number of scans and tests which have to be done.

My last son was born in a public hospital and this time round i'm using public again, my care will be shared by the local hospital and my GP, the only issue i have at the moment is that my GP doesn't seem very "up" on pregnancy which isn't an issue for me but for first time parents could be a problem, tryand find care givers that come recommended and who you feel comfortable with.

Good luck with it all

Lynn

SarahB

Good luck from me too!

I'm also expecting in January 07... but I'm in NZ. We moved here a year ago and now bub No. 2 is on the way. I will be having an elective c-section as first time around there were some big mistakes made (in Peterborough, UK) which means that the c-section is best option for me this time. I'm apprehensive too about having another bub and now no extended family to help us.... but we'll cope. The midwife I see here is extremely understanding about what happened to me back in UK but here you are left to make your own decisions and appointments seem few and far between.... was hard to start with as I didnt know my options..... very different to UK where its all done for you.

Seems theres a few of us here due in January 07.... maybe there should be a Mothers-To-Be forum here.....

movetoperth

If anyone is looking for help on the options available and how the system works it's worth looking at www.bubhub.com.au and www.bellybelly.com.au
both have interesting stuff to find on the forums, but be warned, if you are not totally consumed by pregnancy and babies you may find some it of a little vomit inducing

Lynn