Private vs Public - non-EU

LegacyUser

Hi there, don't want to post under actual username until we get past the 12 weeks.

My girlfriend just found out she is pregnant and we are delighted with the news obviously. She's non-EU and I'm Irish and she has only had her health insurance for the last few months. so not eligible under the 52-week exclusion clause.

My question is whether we are going to have to pay for private treatment or can she avail of the public option?

Don't really want to saddle us with the cost of private treatment as have heard good things about the public option and the money can be put to better use getting everything set up for when the child arrives.

Not sure if the fact that the child will be Irish through me as a father will make a difference to the eligibility for free care?

Thanks in advance!

Congratulations! According to citizensinformation any woman who is "ordinarily resident" in the state is entitled to free maternity services. (http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/health/women_s_health/maternity_and_infant_welfare_services.html) Assuming your girlfriend has been living and working/studying here for a while she should have no problems. Try calling the citizensinformation people if you have any queries - I've found them to be very helpful in the past.

Sardonicat

OP, waiting periods for maternity benefit kick in from the first day of cover. How many months has she been insured for?

By the time the baby is due, she may have served her waiting period. You don't have to wait 52 weeks before becoming pregnant. So, depending on how far along she is and how long she has been insured for, she may be able to use her insurance at the time of delivery.

Congratulations, by the way!

LegacyUser

Thanks for those messages!

Didn't realise you could actually ring Citizen's Advice, thought it was just a website, but will give them a ring tomorrow! Ah no the insurance won't work as she only moved over here in September after we'd lived for a few years in the UK, so the 52-weeks waiting period won't be up until after the child has been born.

Still suppose the cost is an extremely minor issue in the grand scheme of things!

mobyfitz20

quick q wrote: »

Hi there, don't want to post under actual username until we get past the 12 weeks.

My girlfriend just found out she is pregnant and we are delighted with the news obviously. She's non-EU and I'm Irish and she has only had her health insurance for the last few months. so not eligible under the 52-week exclusion clause.

My question is whether we are going to have to pay for private treatment or can she avail of the public option?

Don't really want to saddle us with the cost of private treatment as have heard good things about the public option and the money can be put to better use getting everything set up for when the child arrives.

Not sure if the fact that the child will be Irish through me as a father will make a difference to the eligibility for free care?

Thanks in advance!

hi there

i am also in the same boat as you. i am wondering how did u get on contact the citizens information? did it help in anyway?

Cat Melodeon

If you trawl through the various threads here, there does seem to be a lot of positive feedback on the public system (for which you & your partner are definitely eligible for). I had my boy through the public system despite having private insurance and would not have changed a thing. Even if you have private insurance, you will still have to pay over 4,000 out of your own pocket. In contrast, everything from Week 12 of pregnancy to 6-weeks postpartum is included in the public system including any extras like epidural or emergency procedures.

To meet the 'habitual residency' clause for qualifying for public services, you just have to be able to prove that you live here and plan on staying here. You'll rarely be asked to prove this as you access the public services through your own GP, but if you are, a bank statement, employment contract or utility bill are usually sufficient.