smurtaza

Dear All,

What are the benefits for Australian Permenant Resident and their spouse in Australia for pregenancy , health care during and after pregnancy(Medicare) and centrelink benefits?

Please sugest and explain!!!

Thanks,
Bill

rob&lucy

Ok i'm a midwife here and it still confuses me!! The Uk has the best package for Maternity benefits that i have come accross in the world. Here (Qld) it depends upon how long you have been working for your employer re maternity leave so check with them first. Paternity leave needs to be sorted out with your employer as most do not give it here let alone recognise it.

The Antenatal system is like the uk as you can share-care with a GP and midwife at the hospital (not in the community like UK), see a GP only or see midwives, but the schedule is the same eg 4 weekly from 12 weeks to 28 weeks then 2 weekly to 36 weeks then weekly to birth. After your delivery you go home or stay in hospital for 3-4 days (even for normal deliveries!!). In Townsville we visit women in the community for 3-4 visits that can be spaced out. This is VERY progressive for here! The system is a lot older than the UK but we, as midwives, make sure you are ok before we let you get discharged even if it means 'having a word' with the medics. You get your 'baby book' (child health record book) which has the immunisation schedule in it, developmental stages etc. It's GP or hospital Dr for your 6 week check.

As for centrelink this is in depth stuff as assessments based upon income are made and it's better to got to their website. Medicare (pr visa) means you can be seen as a public patient similar to the NHS. You get benefits when pregnant but go to their website for more in-depth information. You do get a $3000 baby bonus when you register the birth and this is set to increase to around $5000 in a couple of years.

Having worked in both private and public hospitals i can honestly say that public hospitals are excellent and this is where i would have my baby any day. You have more up to date information which reflects in clinical practices, doctors ready and waiting if required and also Midwives which makes a huge difference. Ok i'm biased but i work in adult ICU so i can see both sides. As a midwife we see pregnancy and birth as a normal life event and encourage mobilisation, massage, showers etc and we follow you round the room to listen to baby and help you deliver be it in the shower, on a mat etc We will not hold you back to wait for the doctor to arrive and deliver your baby like in the private system ( yep very sore point with me ).

Hope this helps a bit. PM me if you want more info.
Lucy

bondipom

Yep as a PR one is entitled to a public health system birth.

Lucy the rate of Caesarians for private patients (about 40%) is striking. Not sure how much is due to the too posh to push syndrome.

smurtaza

What are the benefits for Australian Permenant Resident and their spouse(sub class:309) in Australia(Victoria) for pregenancy , health care during and after pregnancy(Medicare) and centrelink benefits?

Please sugest and explain!!!

rob&lucy

I don't think it's as bad as the too posh to push in the UK that was reported. Granted that will occur as if you have enough money you cna get almost anything. Sometimes it's done for social reasons such as the partner is leaving for work at this date and will be away for X amount of time and other times it's because the person says i want it, their insurance covers it and hey presto you can have your baby at 1028am on thursday etc. Unfortunately it also reflects that quite a few obstetricians don't feel confident in the labour process and at any point will go for the c/section. Of course i know there are many reasons for a c/section but it still infuriates me when a private consultant will go ballistic if the woman wants to push has her baby and you didn't stop it happening until he was there. I mean like i could or ever would!!
Lucy
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
What are the benefits for Australian Permenant Resident and their spouse(sub class:309) in Australia(Victoria) for pregenancy , health care during and after pregnancy(Medicare) and centrelink benefits?

Please sugest and explain!!!

Ok may be a bit daft here but could have sworn i did in the reply i posted

'As for centrelink this is in depth stuff as assessments based upon income are made and it's better to got to their website. Medicare (pr visa) means you can be seen as a public patient similar to the NHS. You get benefits when pregnant but go to their website for more in-depth information. You do get a $3000 baby bonus when you register the birth and this is set to increase to around $5000 in a couple of years.'

As for Victoria have a look at their hospital websites and it will give you an idea as to what they provide in pregnancy eg home birth, visiting etc
Lucy

aussimex

Thank you for that post rob&lucy, incredibly useful. I intend to do all my visits with the midwife at the hospital, except the scans which we will do privately.
I am an ex-professional dancer and allowing me to ‘listen’ to my body and the baby is incredibly important and was a bit concerned that I would be seen as the nightmare patient that walks up and down the corridor, squats, kneels does the ‘cat’ position and refuses to have any drugs -all at the same time-.

We dancers are used to pain (well...hope I don’t have to swallow my words! :scared: ).
Your post has reassured me and hopefully it will be similar in Melbourne.
Best regards.
AUMX