I bet hubby says that alot.

Nah, I don't speak to him

Lucky man. J/k

So, where is Memorial Beach exactly? and who is that homosexual on your avatar?

It's over here and to the left a bit.

The homo is my therapist

I think it would be much cheaper to go public and most public hospitals aren't bad. Some have really cool birthing units with bath, music etc depending on where you are of course. With private there was quite a few out of pocket fees for us such as obstetrician's gap fee, cost of epidural, the excess of the insurance policy itself and so on.

Many GPs now also share the care of pregnant women with the hospital itself providing there aren't any high risk complications.

I was hoping my hubby would let us try for another one when we get there but if he see's this i'll be out of luck.

elaine

I had to pay for my first few GP visits as there's some Medicare thing where you are charged every couple of visits? Don't ask me - I grew up here but never needed medical treatment until pregnant (which occurred in UK where it's all free free free even to foreigners like myself. PLUS they let you have free dental until the baby is 1 - something I think about a LOT as pregnancy hormones cause me lots of dental probs).

However, there's some difference if you have various Centrelink benefits or a Health Care Card? I've got one and all mine/daughter's GP visits are free but I can't quite figure out why.

The only other thing I had to pay for during pregnancy/birth (public system) was for my 2nd scan. The first in the UK was free. The 2nd one had to be carried out at a private radiologist. Medicare covered some of it but I had to pay just under $100.

Now that I have tiny person in the world safe and sound I must agree with other poster re: costs. To think I was worried about antenatal bills!!!! Argh! It just gets worse and worse and worse! Then you have to start worrying about going back to work and how many days you will be able to work...or can afford not to...

Can you ever put a price on the joy of having a child.....Ive got one...and the experience is priceless!!! It is amazing....and I do need someone to pay for my old age care!

Usually when you visit the doctor - about anything - they seem to charge $55 and you claim $38 back from Medicare. (might not be the exact figures but something like that.) If you are low income you can get a health care card and then I think Medicare pays the full amount.

Although it all might be free in the UK the costs you will pay here will definitely be way less than the $4K you get from the government.

What about all the kids who go on to become criminals, drug addicts, single mums, unemployed bums, suicide victims and immigrants etc. Alot come from decent backgrounds you know.

Having a kid is no guarantee it will look after you in old age. Go and have a look at all the poor lambs in the nursing homes, where family hardly ever visit them, for evidence of this.

I am going private and there are a few costs...go public and they are a lot lower.

Most visits to obs are covered by Medicare, but I did have a 20 week bill for 2000 dollars. We are registered for Medicare safety net, which says once you have spend 2000 on medical in a calendar year, you can get back 80pct of costs over this amount, so we had a refund.
We also had to pay a non-refundable/non-claimable $900 for obs insurance!

Apart from that 150 dollars (part claimable against Medicare) for 12 week scan and similar for 20 week scan.

Now just waiting for the hospital bit which should be covered by private ins....then of course the real costs hit!!!!

love, you need to find yourself a doctor who bulk bills. Bulk billing is where the entire fee is covered, upfront, for everyone. Some cheap-arse surgeries just do it for the pensioners, others do it for everyone.

I can't recall any in Brissie off hand for you, but they are out there. Look in the yellow pages etc.

In Sydney, Neutral Bay medical centre bulk bills for everyone. Just the way it should be, when you're paying $50k tax per year, like most of us living around here.

Is that at the Big Bear??
We use Cremorne Medical Practice, but they do not bulk bill...
maybe worth swapping...

Nah mate, it's on Wycombe Road. It's tucked in behind the Neutral Bay Post office.

Usually pretty easy to get an appointment. Most docs are foreign, but ok.

Cool, only 5 mins walk from home!
Thanks for that..