Public vs private hospitals for the birth

Despite the costs involved with private care, many women opt to give birth in private hospitals. The benefits include having consistent care by a private obstetrician and, most likely, a private hospital room for the duration of your stay after bub is born.

Private obstetricians have admitting rights to certain hospitals, so if you’ve found one you like make sure they are affiliated with private hospitals within a sensible distance from home. Alternatively, you could choose your private hospital first then ask for a list of their accredited obstetricians.
As a private patient, your antenatal check-ups will be at the obstetrician’s private practice and he will refer you to specialist providers for your necessary tests and scans.

Private care can be very expensive, so it helps to have private health insurance. Check your policy carefully, as some companies require you to be a member for 12 months or longer in your chosen cover before they pay maternity benefits. If in doubt, call your health insurance provider.

At the beginning of the year changes to the Medicare safety net were made that have seen out-of-pocket expenses for private obstetrician care rise substantially. Previously, 80 per cent of out-of-pocket expenses after reaching the safety net threshold could be claimed. Now the rebate is capped at around $460. This change has resulted in many pregnant women choosing to go with public care.

As a public patient, Medicare will cover most of your expenses (all your check-ups, the actual birth and your hospital stay). You may have to pay for some scans or tests, though. You will go to your GP to be referred and book into your local public maternity hospital.

If your pregnancy is low risk you may opt to use the hospital’s maternity clinic or, where available, the birthing centre for your antenatal care and birth. If you have a more complicated pregnancy, you
will see an obstetrician at the hospital.

At a maternity clinic you have your appointments with different doctors and midwives. Who you see depends on who is on duty at the time.

Birthing centres provide a more natural birth experience. They are managed by midwives and encourage minimal use of pain-relieving drugs during labour and birth. Many centres are located within hospitals, so more intensive medical care is quick to access if there is an emergency. During your appointments you will get to know the team of midwives and have a much higher chance of seeing the same one more often during your care and at the birth itself. Intake numbers are limited, so early enrolment is a must.

Another option you have is to employ a private midwife to provide all your antenatal care and to go with you to the hospital. While they haven’t previously, from November this year eligible midwives who have collaborative agreements with your hospital or its doctors will be able to act as your primary carer while you are in the hospital, during the birth and after, much like a private obstetrician would. If necessary, the hospital’s midwives and obstetricians will also be able to attend to you.

If you go the public route, shared care is another option. In this case, your care will be shared between your local (and convenient) GP and the midwives or doctors at your maternity hospital.

Discuss

Did you opt for Private or Public hospital for the birth of your child? Discuss in the PP Forum