1st baby...already panicky!

miami2007

hi all,

i found out on saturday im 10 weeks, not exactly planned but feeling happy now. so anyway i phoned Holles St on recomendation of my GP and EVENTUALLY (!) got through to a rather snippy woman in semi private clinic who informed me i was 'very late' looking for an appointment...(how the heck do they expect every woman who gets pregnant to phone them the day after a missed period!) and that i need to get a booking ref number, from another department. she put me through to this dept and no answer (aaaggghhhhhh!!!!)

anyway, rant over, i was going to go semi private but the snippy woman tells me i need to pay E500 plus E120 per scan...would've thought this would be covered under my VHI (first plan plus)
so now im thinking i might try and go private in holles st. can anyone give me an idea of cost?

ive done some trawling on boards but cant find any actual figures!

thank you for your time!!

January

It is covered under your VHI but there is always a portion you have to pay yourself and that's it.

It'll cost you about €4000 before VHI to go private.

miami2007

thanks adrienne, is that including all consultants and delivery etc would you know?

January

Couldn't be sure, you'd have to ring each consultants secretary and ask for a list of prices. Their numbers should be on the NMH website.

Think VHI covers your bed, your not always garunteed a bed in a private/semi private ward though. Depends what's available on the day.

3DataModem

The 4000 covers everything, delivery, scans, etc.

Different consultants charge different prices... you pick your own.

Bear in mind you get 20% back in tax relief, and another chunk from VHI. You don't pay it all up front.

Also realise that you are not guaranteed a private room (and if you are a mother of one who delivers naturally with no complications there are a lot of people prioritized ahead of you - twins, c-section, etc).

I've been dealing with Holles St pretty continuously for the past 5 years (culminating in the birth oft twins 13 days ago) and have found the staff excellent.

Congratulations and good luck!

eimsRV

Hi Miami - congrats on your news!!

I went private in Holles St last year. It cost me €4000 for consultant fees, plus €120 for anomoly scan at about 20 weeks. At each visit with the consultant, she would also do a small scan, but we weren't charged extra for this.
Like you, I had a decent VHI policy. I think the total consultant fee is like €4560 or something, and vhi paid the 560 and I'd to pay the 4K. But you can claim tax back at 20%.

There are real mixed views on paying the extra money for private. You aren't guaranteed a private room, and you still get great care whether you go private, semi private or public.

The main difference as far as I can see is that you have the same consultant for the duration of your pregnancy. In my case, the consultant even called and texted me at weekends. I believe she went above and beyond to make sure both myself and the baby were ok as my pregnancy was quite rocky and baby had to be delivered early.
I did get a rm in the merrion wing, however the first night i was in a large ward with about 16 beds. I found it fine, and shower room was very clean. I'd heard horror stories!

Best of luck with your decision and your pregnancy
xx