medical costs in pregnancy

beaushalloe

ok so i may be completely stupid, but what are the general costs for when you are pregnant? do you have to pay for scans, etc? i have no medical insuranc. should i run out now and get some before it happens????

Nevyn

No you don't have to pay, the medica check ups and having your baby publicly are free.

silja

Like PP said, if you go public you'll have no cost at the hospital or the GP (look up Combined Care- basically you can get free visits with your GP when pregnant).

Medical insurance can still be useful though, if you want to go semi-private or private, and for things like pre-pregnancy care. Also, if you have health insurance, most insurers will cover your baby for free for a year or longer.

Ickle Magoo

Be warned tho - we just moved to Ireland when I found out I was pregnant & we got VHI through my husbands work - they wouldn't cover a pregnancy unless you'd had the policy for X amount of time before becoming pregnant...make sure you read the small print, they don't let you take out a policy whereby they will pay for, or pay for most of, your ante-natal care & birth options if you haven't paid sufficient premiums into the policy (52wks in the case of VHI).

dame

Yes, like Ickle Magoo said, I have a friend who took out insurance and planned the baby to be born just over the year but baby decided to come 2 1/2 moths early so the insurance didn't pay for anything. The birth date has to fall outside the time period specified, not the expected birth date.

noby

Plus all pregnancy-related GP visits are free.

Ickle Magoo

That's not true, actually - under the Maternity & Infant Care Scheme expectant mothers are entitled to 7 free visits to their GP, with a further 5 possible if serious pregnancy complications arise. GP's can & often do charge for any pregnancy related visit out with the allowance...

The Maternity and Infant Care Scheme provides a programme of care to all expectant mothers who are ordinarily resident in Ireland. It combines antenatal care provided by a family doctor (GP) of your choice and a hospital obstetrician. You are entitled to the service free of charge, even if you do not hold a medical card.

Patients would normally attend their GP before the 12th week of pregnancy. The GP provides a further 6 examinations during the pregnancy, which are alternated with visits to the maternity unit/hospital. The first visit to the hospital antenatal clinic should take place by the 20th week.

If the expectant mother suffers from a significant illness, e.g., diabetes or hypertension, up to 5 additional visits to the GP may be provided.

The scheme also provides for two post-natal visits to the GP – the first of which is at 2 weeks, when the GP will examine the baby, and the second at 6 weeks, when both mother and baby will be examined.

The mother is entitled to free in-patient and out-patient public hospital services in respect of the pregnancy, and is not liable for any of the hospital charges.

Your GP can provide you with an application form for the Maternity and Infant Care Scheme, which you and your GP will both need to complete. This should then be returned to your Local Health Office, where it will be processed for inclusion in the Scheme.

RIRI

As already mentioned Public Care is free.

I would highly recommend taking out health insurance & going semi-private though. The care you get either way is the same (and excellent by the way) but the public wards are very over crowded. If i was going again I wouldn't go public for that reason - that's not to say semi-p isn't overcrowded too, but you have a better chance of getting some rest in hospital in my experience.

Watch out for the conditions on the policy though - as far as I know most insurers have a 52 week wait to cover maternity.

Best of luck

ArthurDent

RIRI wrote: »

As already mentioned Public Care is free.

I would highly recommend taking out health insurance & going semi-private though. The care you get either way is the same (and excellent by the way) but the public wards are very over crowded. If i was going again I wouldn't go public for that reason - that's not to say semi-p isn't overcrowded too, but you have a better chance of getting some rest in hospital in my experience.

Watch out for the conditions on the policy though - as far as I know most insurers have a 52 week wait to cover maternity.

Best of luck

Wouldn't bet on rest in semi-private either tbh

DS1 and 2, I went semi private and the noise of other mums and or babies pretty much kept me up most nights, not to mention all the visitors around the other beds for most of the day - my particular favourites being teenage friends for the young girl next to me who commented loudly about how disgusting it was that I was breastfeeding my DS and even took to poking their head round my curtain to get a view!:mad:

Last time on DD I went private but ended up in hospital for a week before I delivered and was on a semi p ward and had the worlds worst snorer with us - I swear one night the other three of us on the ward sat up crying we were so tired and her snores were so loud - the midwives eventually went off to find us ear plugs!

Ayla

ArthurDent wrote: »

my particular favourites being teenage friends for the young girl next to me who commented loudly about how disgusting it was that I was breastfeeding my DS and even took to poking their head round my curtain to get a view!:mad:

Yikes, that sounds like fun. :eek: I would've just sat in my bra, nestled my DD on the breast and pulled the curtain back the whole way. That way they could've gotten a proper look. That would've shut them up!

littlebug

Ayla wrote: »

Yikes, that sounds like fun. :eek: I would've just sat in my bra, nestled my DD on the breast and pulled the curtain back the whole way. That way they could've gotten a proper look. That would've shut them up!

OP even if you get insurance now if you decide to go private you will still have to pay the consultants fees... and there is still no guarantee of getting a private room.

RIRI

ArthurDent wrote: »

Wouldn't bet on rest in semi-private either tbh

DS1 and 2, I went semi private and the noise of other mums and or babies pretty much kept me up most nights, not to mention all the visitors around the other beds for most of the day - my particular favourites being teenage friends for the young girl next to me who commented loudly about how disgusting it was that I was breastfeeding my DS and even took to poking their head round my curtain to get a view!:mad:

Last time on DD I went private but ended up in hospital for a week before I delivered and was on a semi p ward and had the worlds worst snorer with us - I swear one night the other three of us on the ward sat up crying we were so tired and her snores were so loud - the midwives eventually went off to find us ear plugs!

Sounds like a nightmare alright. My sis had a snorer in her semi P ward - it drove her to tears too. I don;t want to scare anyone but when I was having DS there were 12 beds on a ward equiped for 6 - you couldn't even draw the curtains around the bed. Actually I think I'd nearly take out a loan and go private next time!!

noby

Just to balance the discussion, on our first we went private, but after one night in a private room my wife likened it to a prison cell, and was happy to move to a semi-private ward. The company of other new-mums can be a good experience too.

Shelli

I went semi P in Holles St, found it great, even though I ended up in a 5bed ward. Dont think I'd like being in a room all on my own, first time with a baby and all, I'd be too scared.

3 of the women in my ward had paid for private but there was no room available so they ended up on the ward anyway. There are no guarantess in maternity hospitals, it's first come first served. I had a friend who ended up having an emergancy section, she got a private room for free becuase they thought she was too weak to go on a ward.

littlebug

I went private for the first one.. for no particular reason other than my hubby's work paid our vhi (they've gone stingy since then) but I was glad I had as I was in hosp for a while before the baby was born so having a room to myself then was great. After she was born she was in the pbu so it was good not to have to share with other mothers who had their babies with them as I was sooo sad .
I went private again with the second because of the complications with the first and the extra checks, scans and reassurance were worth it. When it came to the birth he was born so quickly the consultant didn't even make it on time and to be honest I hated having a room to myself afterwards... and found myself really craving company. When I took bubba walkabout on the ward I got shouted at and told I wasn't allowed to bring him out of the room!

ArthurDent

noby wrote: »

Just to balance the discussion, on our first we went private, but after one night in a private room my wife likened it to a prison cell, and was happy to move to a semi-private ward. The company of other new-mums can be a good experience too.

I agree with you especially on your first it is good to have other mums around, but the down side is that there is loads of commotion at night and I don't know anyone that sleeps well in a public or semi private ward. I did notice last year on DD that visiting hours have definitely been tightened up and the wards are definitely much quieter than before.

In an ideal world I would have chosen to have a private room for the night after delivery and then to bugger off home the next day - but for all 3 of mine this didn't happen

DS1 was in scbu for 3 nights
DS2 really bad snow storm and not safe to drive home
DD ceasarian and was in hospital for 5 nights after.

LouOB

not planning just yet but you never know when one might pop in(baby that is) but i opted for public hospital with private room. is it just first come first served

littlebug

LouOB wrote: »

not planning just yet but you never know when one might pop in(baby that is) but i opted for public hospital with private room. is it just first come first served

Yes... no guarantees. I got lucky both times though I think i'd have preferred company second time round.

Clytus

OP...if your only thinking of getting pregnant give serious thought to getting health insurance. My wife went private in the Rotunda...the VHI paid for the whole thing..EXCEPT...for the Consultant...she cost €2800...but like Iv said to all my friends it was well worth it...because you when the Consultant is delivering the baby,your at the top of the decision making tree...I remember when my wife was begining the actual delivery stage..the midwife went to get the senior midwife...who went to get the doctor...who went to get the Registrar...who then followed the instructions of the Consultant ( who arrived from her bed).

My wife had a few things that neede looking into during her pregnancy and we went to the mater private for those...which VHI didnt pay for...but in total the whole thing cost us about €4000.

grungina

Ciao!
I moved to Ireland one year ago and since I'm planning to stay I'd also like to have a baby here.
I don't have any VHI or similar but I've heard good things about the National Maternity Hospital in Holles Street, Dublin 2.
What do you think?

Thank you!
Chiara

PatCarr

Just got the news my wife and I are expecting our first baby, Thanks for the tips and advice. We're nervous and looking forward too.

Moonbeam

PatCarr - Congrats:)

MojoMaker

Just to put a slant of realsim on all this. Opting for Semi-P or fully private might sound like a grand gesture but let's look at the maths. Semi private care incorporating a (by now) fairly standard c-section will push your total maternity *hospital* bill to about €8500 - very little of which is recoverable from the VHI, Quinn, or any of the insurers - elective decision to go private is entirely on the onus of the patient. It is fantastically expensive given the level of cover is pretty much the same as *public* - you don't actually need a consultant during pregnancy given the staff employed by the NMH's are actually exellent and there's always a senior OB/GYN on duty when you're in there.

The BS around private care really boiled my piss when I was actually in the situation and realised it's not all it's cracked up to be, that the care in public hospitals is the same regardless, and for 90% of couples the attendance of a *consultant* during pregnancy is irrelevant.

axer

Does nobody have home births anymore? From what I know you get something like a 2,000 euro grant for having your child at home. No need to share rooms then.

taram

What if you needed a consultant/c-section/magician to give birth due to complications but couldn't afford it? Would the state provide it free or bill me?

MojoMaker

If you need a c-section the duty obstetrician takes care of that. There are surgeons on shift patterns at all the maternity hospitals round the clock.

Moonbeam

Going semi private with health insurance is working out at a 260 euro shortfall between what the VHI pay and the total cost plus 110 euro for the big scan (the around 20 week one)
Any penny you pay is also tax deductible@your highest rate of tax on your med1 form.

As for going private the cost varied in Dublin hospitals but it seems to be around 4k with health insurance and is also tax deductible.

Ludo

MojoMaker wrote: »

Just to put a slant of realsim on all this. Opting for Semi-P or fully private might sound like a grand gesture but let's look at the maths. Semi private care incorporating a (by now) fairly standard c-section will push your total maternity *hospital* bill to about €8500 - very little of which is recoverable from the VHI, Quinn, or any of the insurers - elective decision to go private is entirely on the onus of the patient. It is fantastically expensive given the level of cover is pretty much the same as *public* - you don't actually need a consultant during pregnancy given the staff employed by the NMH's are actually exellent and there's always a senior OB/GYN on duty when you're in there.

The BS around private care really boiled my piss when I was actually in the situation and realised it's not all it's cracked up to be, that the care in public hospitals is the same regardless, and for 90% of couples the attendance of a *consultant* during pregnancy is irrelevant.

Not sure I understand this. Are you saying, of that 8500 figure you quote, you have to pay "most" of that yourself if you choose to go private even if you have VHI? We went private last year for twins and the bill came to 2 grand total. VHI took care of everything else. VHI will also cover about 500 of that 2 grand bill leaving a bill for 1500ish for the private consultant. Then you can reclaim tax on that reducing it further. Was well worth it in my opinion due to our circumstances.

Maybe I am reading your post wrong but to say "will push your total maternity *hospital* bill to about €8500 - very little of which is recoverable from the VHI, Quinn, or any of the insurers" seems incorrect to me from our experience

Nevyn

Moonbeam wrote: »

Going semi private with health insurance is working out at a 260 euro shortfall between what the VHI pay and the total cost plus 110 euro for the big scan (the around 20 week one)
Any penny you pay is also tax deductible@your highest rate of tax on your med1 form.

As for going private the cost varied in Dublin hospitals but it seems to be around 4k with health insurance and is also tax deductible.

I went semi private on my second and it was worth every penny from the appointed visits to being in a 4 bed ward.

lostinnappies

Ickle Magoo wrote: »

That's not true, actually - under the Maternity & Infant Care Scheme expectant mothers are entitled to 7 free visits to their GP, with a further 5 possible if serious pregnancy complications arise. GP's can & often do charge for any pregnancy related visit out with the allowance...

Yes but if you are going to the hospital every two weeks like i was because of diabeties, then there is no need to go to the GP even if they say to. ... i had a long discussion about this to a doctor and they say they tell you to go to your GP also because they have to been kept in the loop and also incase (because of higher risk) something happens it just covers their arse, but i didnt go because every two weeks was enough for me so i didnt have any other doctors bills, i found the hse covered it.

bored and tired

just to put another slant on this topic, as everyone seems to be talking about going private or semi private in dublin, to which i have no experience

In Corks new maternity hospital, you have access to scans, consultants physios etc all through your pregnancy publically, albeit you may have to wait for a few hours to be seen, All the hospital wards are 2 beds and have ensuites, there are consultants, theatre staff, anaesathists on all the time 24/7,

why would you feel the need to pay for going private or semi private when you have a state of the art facility? just so you can see the same consultant at every visit? because you cant wait for a few hours to be seen at your check ups,

where i had my daughter there were 6 to a ward, but the staff were brilliant, and i never felt like i was second best because i didnt go private, the care was excellent, i had 4 scans while pregnant as the consultant i saw was worried i would need a c-section due to my small frame and he made a note that i was to have further scans to check the babies head circumfrence,

Anyway for those of you first timers, check out the hospitals in your area and dont feel presurised into going private, the public care system in my experience was excellent and every eventuallity, every prolem or complication is catered for, in fact while i was in hospital a baby was airlifted to dublin, and her mother taken by ambulance the next day, now how much would that have cost if she had gone private??

Moonbeam

In Dublin we don't quite have the same luxury and facilities:)

Crea

Went private on my 3.
Was in a room alone on my 1st which I was happy about cause I ended up being in for a week and my baby cried alot so I didn't have the pressure of keeping him quiet for the other mums.
Was in a room with 1 other on my 2nd. May as well have been alone as she didn't pull her curtain accross for the duration of her stay.
Was in a 5 bed ward in PRE-natal on my 3rd so didn't get a wink of sleep with the other mums in labour and nurses doing traces at 4 in the morning. Wasn't too bad on the 2nd night as the mums had the babies and at that stage I was so shattered I would have slept through anything.
Limerick Maternity facilities are a joke.

Ludo

bored and tired wrote: »

In Corks new maternity hospital, you have access to scans, consultants physios etc all through your pregnancy publically, albeit you may have to wait for a few hours to be seen, All the hospital wards are 2 beds and have ensuites, there are consultants, theatre staff, anaesathists on all the time 24/7,

Not true. There are single rooms there, semi private and the general wards have 4 beds. Going private though does not guarantee you a private room though if they all happen to be full already.

bored and tired wrote: »

Anyway for those of you first timers, check out the hospitals in your area and dont feel presurised into going private, the public care system in my experience was excellent and every eventuallity, every prolem or complication is catered for, in fact while i was in hospital a baby was airlifted to dublin, and her mother taken by ambulance the next day, now how much would that have cost if she had gone private??

erm...nothing! Whether the mother is a private or public patient is irrelevant to the above scenario. Our two were in NICU for 2 weeks and the wife was a private patient. Made no difference whatsoever to the cost with regard to care for the baby once born.

Again I cant understand how someone here quotes 8500 for private care. The price for twins in Cork was 2 grand (much less when tax claim and VHI claim taken into account). Is Dublin really that much more expensive?

That was well worth it for us for the comfort of seeing the same consultant who knew us all the time (except for the birth as it was an emergency c-section) and was able to know what was going on with us all the way through, avoiding mad queues in the public section and the comfort of a private room when the boys arrived.

I wonder have they got tvs in the CUMH yet though?

bored and tired

off course they have semi /private rooms in Cork, all hospitals do other wise why would we all have vhi and bupa as well as paying PRSI

my sister had her boy in cuh, she went public, when i went to visit her, at least on the floor she was on, all the public wards were 2 beds with ensuites, she did have to spend time queing to see a doctor at her clinic visits, but that didnt really bother her. i went public in the Eirnville, and if im honest im sorry that its gone as the treatment i got from them as a public patient was second to none, my sister would say the same of the cuh,

If people want to go private thats there choice, but the start of this thread seemed to be scaremongering that you wont get proper care unless you go private, and that if you do go private you end up paying thousands in consultant fees and more again if there is complications.

The op didnt say if they were going public or private, and publically the cost is zero. Inferring that they have to go private for any type of adequate care and have 8K in the bank for any complications is scaremongering,

Hotblack Desiato

Moonbeam wrote: »

In Dublin we don't quite have the same luxury and facilities:)

Exactly. Whatever about quality of care, going semi-private was worth every cent just to not to have to sit in the Coombe public waiting room for hours on end at every appointment.

Nevyn

The public wards in the rotunda range from 6 bed to 10 beds.
After my experience in a 10 bed ward when I had my first I went semi private.

SerialComplaint

MojoMaker wrote: »

The BS around private care really boiled my piss when I was actually in the situation and realised it's not all it's cracked up to be, that the care in public hospitals is the same regardless, and for 90% of couples the attendance of a *consultant* during pregnancy is irrelevant.

The problem is that at the start of the pregnancy, you don't know whether you're in the 90% (consultant irrelevant) or the 10% (consultant very important) bracket.

My wife had a very difficult pregnancy with 3 or 4 emergency admissions and 20 nights in Holles St prior to the birth, and having the same consultant for all checkups available to the on-call doctors was very important for us.

oh well , okay

Just a quick note - might be useful to someone...

My wife and I live just outside Arklow and we had decided to go semi private in Holles St. for our first child . When we visited our local GP we were advised that if we registered as semi private we would be unable to have the scans in our local ( public ) clinic but would have to travel to Holles St , a 2 hour round trip each time . We were told to register as public then change it to semi private closer to the birth , this allowed us to use our local clinic for the scans which saved us hours of travelling plus we got the same consultant every time .

beazee

Hi all.
I am wondering if thats the right place to post my thoughts? Could ye shed some light on the topic? I would be much easier to accept when explained clearly.

My wife is 31 weeks pregnant, she's on Maternity Scheme (combined GP + hospital visits). She had her GP visit last week. Instead of GP she was appointed by the nurse there, had her blood pressure measured up and weight checked. That was all, 5 minutes and off.

But something wasn't right for the last few days. Some kind of sharp pain on the right side of her tummy. She's having her appointment at the hospital scheduled Friday week. Rang the hospital yesterday: "should be all right, he is taking his position head down, visit your GP, have your urine tested". So she went...

And few questions I found hard to find the answers for:

1) Maternity Scheme is being paid from our taxes. What is GP really paid for? For blood pressure and weight only? Or it is much more actually? Anyone knows how much are they really been paid per Maternity Scheme patient?

2) What is the GP appointment agenda? Do sb have a list of what tests should be carried out?

3) Where is the line between "covered by the Scheme" and "covered from your pocket"?

So she went... been there yesterday. Had a visit with GP (suprisingly!! not just 5 mins), urine test shown too many leucocytes (what means infection), had some drugs prescribed and issued with E50 receipt to be paid.
When asked why was told that Maternity Scheme appointment took place last week and this time it's her private visit...

Who's being right?

Myself convinced that GP maternity care is being covered by my taxes and whatever pain or infection while pregnant should be covered as well?

Or is it practice owner telling me there were no problems last visit (Maternity Scheme) and what is now is a private and fully payable?

How could they now if everything was all right when she was only appointed by some nurse who took pressure and weigh scale readings?
I am going to visit other practices around and ask for their say. Should Medical Council be contacted? Or is it me - a cheapskate?

Should we change the practice? Or it is better to leave it as it is for the next 9-10 weeks?

The only leaflet on Maternity Scheme is telling me: "Care in respect of illnesses which are co-incidental with, but not related to your pregnancy does not form part of the Scheme."
Is vag infection related to pregnancy? Me thinks it is. Who can confirm that?
Thanks for shedding some light on the topic.

Moonbeam

The gp was well within his rights.
Only the official ante natal appoinments are covered any other visits outside of this are not.
It is pretty stupid as you would think the health system would want to look after pregnany women.
Some gps are nice and do not charge.


Normally the doctor feels tummy,checks urine and listens to babys heart at each visit.

beazee

Moonbeam wrote: »

The gp was well within his rights. (...)
Normally the doctor feels tummy,checks urine and listens to babys heart at each visit.

OK. I get that visit outside scheduled appointments may be (and usually is) paid extra. It's business - have to pay the bills.

But may last scheduled appointment be treated as full/regular?
No doctor. No sampling. Just BP and weight. 5 mins and off.

I keep wondering if there was only urine sampling carried out that time - they might be able find something already - so the consultation + drug prescription would be covered by HSE.

friday04

HI All, My wife has health insurance with Quinn and it says that she has maternity cover of 4k. I think its essential plus scheme thru work.. Does that also cover consultants fees if we go semi private. I know that we will have to pay for scans but Im not sure if quinn will cover the consultants fees.. they say that we need to pick a consultant thats approved by them.. Thanks in advance bcause im totaly confused.

Moonbeam

For vhi it comes under anti natal care.

Mom2Be

friday04 wrote: »

HI All, My wife has health insurance with Quinn and it says that she has maternity cover of 4k. I think its essential plus scheme thru work.. Does that also cover consultants fees if we go semi private. I know that we will have to pay for scans but Im not sure if quinn will cover the consultants fees.. they say that we need to pick a consultant thats approved by them.. Thanks in advance bcause im totaly confused.

Hiya,

No as far as i know the consultant fees are the only thing that isnt covered. It is 7 yrs since i went semi private on my daughter but i dont think it has changed. I am 38 weeks now and opted for public this time due to the cost of consulants fees.
Care is no different (so far anyway) apart from longer waiting time for clinic appointments.
Only thing is i was in a semi private room (2 beds) last time and other bed was empty so had a room to myself which was lovely.
This time round it will be a public ward with 5 beds but please god everything will go to plan and ill be back home after 24 hrs

Skadi

I think the level of combined care you get from your GP really depends on the GP.

I am currently going through a high risk pregnancy and am now up to the CUMH every monday. My GP told me to call into him regularly so that he can be kept informed.

I am going public. While I might not see my main consultant every time if there is anything strange with my blood tests or symptoms, the consultant that I am seeing goes into the main consultant to see what she thinks. This is standard practice in CUMH. Every time I have seen the consultant I have always had a mini-scan. For me personally I find it reassuring to be seen by different consultants as it means I can get their opinion on my situation and I know that it is unlikely that something will be missed as more than one person is looking over my notes and test results.

On my last pregnancy I also went public. We lost the baby due to premature labour. My husband asked that I be put into a private room and the hospital agreed straight away. There is nothing I could fault about the level of care that I have received. Yes, sometimes waiting times are annoying but it seems that certain times of the day are more busier than others so I tend to ask for an early appointment or a later appointment so that I am not waiting too long.