No Health Insurance

Peppery

Hi,
Just wondering if anyone has any experience of going semi-private or private with no health insurance?
My health insurance waiting period won’t have been covered by the time I give birth. I was sure I wanted to pay for semi private or private health care anyway based on costs outlined but when I rang the hospital they were seriously discouraging it because of things that could go wrong. I’m at a complete loss now about what to do...I’m very nervous as it’s my first pregnant and really wanted the reassurance of seeing a consultant and a more private room and I could cover those costs but the woman on the phone said I could be looking at bills of up to 40,000 if anything goes wrong . Has anyone opted to risk this?

jlm29

Can you opt to pay the consultants fees for private antenatal care, and then just be admitted publicly when the time comes?
I wouldn’t take that risk, thinking that you’ll have a private room on admission- lots of people don’t get a private room in the hospital anyhow.
If you can’t see the consultant privately and then be admitted as a public patient later on, I would just go public. I’ve come across several people lately who have been admitted to either HDU or ICU after complications during delivery. I’m not trying to alarm you, and they’re all absolutely fine, as are their babies, but the bills they’d have faced for those things would have been crippling.

Peppery

I asked about that and also about opting out of private system if anything did happen and she said they had recently changed the rules. You have to stick with whichever system you went for in the first place. Apparently you can’t even look for (and pay for) a private room if you’re in public system.

listermint

Without being too harsh. Going public and going semi private in this country there is feck all difference.

You may not even get a private room that's entirely down to how busy the ward is that day. You could literally be unlucky and not get a private room. You are not entitled to one so first come first served in terms of other customers .


The other thing is you get to see a consultant a few more times .


That's about the jist of the difference. Tbh I think you should stick with public. Maternity services in the likes of the coombe are excellent thousands upon thousands of babies have been born there they know what they are doing and do it extremely well. The labour wards or birthing rooms are state of the art. And there is no difference between private and public in that respect

It's not worth the money you are describing.

You can pay privately for additional scans and 3d scans if you want which give you additional assurance and a keep sake

angeldelight

I would strongly advise against it. If you are a private patient baby is also a private patient once they’re born so any paediatrician expenses or extra tests will be charged too as well as expenses for special care unit if needed. You would also need to pay for anaesthetist if required for yourself and any other extras needed... the bill could easily be five figures

shesty

No go public if you have no insurance.I am currently in hospital after my third, we chose to go semi private because we could.But I am going to end up spending four nights in here, baby needs bloods tests, antibiotics etc which will be covered by our insurance.Nothing is wrong with baby or me, it is just the way it has turned out.My first baby, I was five days in a semi private room, blood tests and antibiotics for her and me, to treat something quite standard ,and then a return visit for me the next week for five days where I needed a procedure done, bloods and IV antibiotic treatment.Again, nothing major but the health insurance sent the bills to us afterwards to 'confirm' them, and the cost of was into the thousands, never mind the cost of a semi private room.If I had gone public, it would have been the same staff, same theatre, same hospital, same treatment....different ward.That's it.The public system is absolutely fine.

Hithere246

I had 3 babies through the public system, despite having private health insurance. I got a private room on one of them..i think because I wasn't in great shape after. I got great care throughout the childbirth etc. The appointments were a different story whereby I was waiting up to 5 hours for an appointment and never once met my actual consultant. I wasn't in a Dublin hospital though..my friend in dub said it's very different there due to overcrowding. When I was on a ward there were only 3 other beds. My pregnancies and births were straightforward though and I believed that going private would lead to my needs being secondary to the consultants. I've heard of women going private and having to wait for their consultant for a c section. Best of luck..such a precious time

Stellasmurf

I’m pregnant with my first too. I have good private health insurance. I’m lucky that I qualify for the Domino scheme but had I not, I would still go the main public route and as advised by my doctor.
All my friends have gone private and to be honest after hearing some of their stories, there doesn’t seem to be any guarantee that the pregnancy/Labour will go any smoother than if you go on the public system. The Irish maternity system is one of the best in the world so you’re in good hands either way.
The main advantage appears to be a cut in waiting times for appointments.

denismc

We recently had twins and went public even though we have health insurance.
My wife was high risk and was diagnosed with H.E.L.P syndrome and I have to say the care she received was world class.
I know the health system in this country gets a lot of bad press but when it comes to maternity care the services are very good.
I would have no hesitation going public again.
p.s we went through the CUH maternity hospital in Cork and can't praise them enough, I realise not every hospital in Ireland may have this high standard.

jimmycrackcorm

listermint wrote:

Without being too harsh. Going public and going semi private in this country there is feck all difference.

True and that applies in general. The only advantage private insurance gives you is in getting faster access to elective procedures.

irishgirl19

I would advise against it if you have no insurance. You could end up up to your eyes in medical bills.
Go public, if a doctor is needed for the birth then the midwives will page one. Dont worry

angeldelight

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

True and that applies in general. The only advantage private insurance gives you is in getting faster access to elective procedures.

Also continuity of care, which for me was a consideration. I liked seeing the same doctor at every appointment, she did all my scans herself, I had her email for queries in between appointments too

frogstar

Go public.

I've just had first baby this week in rotunda semi private but I do have insurance.

Very straight forward pregnancy, no complications. I know friends who were public with complications and treated fantastic. Sure you could also pay privately for a few extra scans during pregnancy to put mind at ease.

I had to stay in for 3nights as baby needed antibiotics. Ward of four but I couldn't wait to get out as it was so noisy between babies crying, visitor, cleaning, catering, docs etc... I was mentally drained. I would have preferred own room at this stage.

Sure everyone delivers in public side in anyway and is state of art in rotunda, very positive experience (until we got to ward!)

rainbow kirby

Not in Ireland here, but at the birth of my second baby I was 9 nights in hospital, 6 of them after the birth (medically indicated induction at 38 weeks from a very low Bishop's score). We had multiple complications and baby had one night in the NICU. If we were paying privately anywhere for that care the cost of it would have destroyed us. Go public if you don't have insurance.

lazygal

Ended up with a c section on my first and never thought I would. The private health insurance covered the cost which was about 17K between interventions and accommodation. Don't go private or semi p unless you have insurance.

ted1

If you are not in the high risk group I strongly recommend going public in a mid wife led domino scheme. You could be home in your own bed surrounded by all you comforts within 8 hours. And then you have a mid ride call to your house daily. My wife and several friends have done it and thinks it’s the best method ever

Private doesn’t mean you’ll get better treatment, in fact it more then likely means you’ll get a section or labour on their terms.

Semi private means that your insurance company will be billed. That’s about the only difference.



https://www.eumom.ie/pregnancy/birth/preparing-for-birth/the-domino-scheme-explained

Peppery

Thank you all so much for your replies. I suppose that’s my mind made up anyway, it’s just too much of a risk. Don’t fancy another mortgage for hospital bills! Feeling very stupid for not sorting out my health insurance sooner.

Cash_Q

Peppery wrote:

Feeling very stupid for not sorting out my health insurance sooner.

Don't beat yourself up! Public system is perfectly suited to anyone; from all these posts and any friends I know who've gone private, the only major difference is a private room and queuing times.

If you go with domino scheme you could be home before you've even settled into a ward.

If you end up staying several nights, the other ladies in the ward will probably be great company going through the same experience together.

catrionanic

+1 for singing the praises of the public system.

Expecting my second baby now. First was a dream. Had the most amazing care from start to finish. Waiting times were grand as we always had an 8am appt and we were never more than two hours from coming in the front door to leaving. I didn’t see the same doctor each time but I didn’t mind - I had a straightforward pregnancy and all the doctors and midwives we encountered were genuinely lovely.

Biggest downside was the noisy post labour 6-bed ward (Holles St). I stayed two nights and then did the early transfer Home scheme, but I could’ve gone home sooner than that if I wanted to. But I really appreciated always having midwives around to help me with feeding etc, and the meals being delivered to my bed which tasted fantastic!

This time I’m doing Domino scheme. Absolutely no waiting times for appt, you see the same midwife every time, and you can choose your appointment times rather than taking what you’re given. And I will go home 6-12 hours after delivery to my own comfy bed, but have a midwife come to me every day for 10 days afterwards, and then the public health nurse thereafter. Which is something you won’t get if you go privately.

Spend all that money on a baby moon, a cleaner, and some wonderful maternity clothes instead!

shesty

To be honest pepper, there's nothing to feel stupid about.We have a public health system.We ALL fund the public system.Yet we see nothing wrong with having insurance to cover 'private' care, it just happens to use the same facilities, buildings, staff as the public system.The whole system is totally ridiculous, and yet for some reason we just accept it.....
For what it's worth, the public wards in the rotunda were full the last two days and the semi private wards were taking the overflow of patients.Go figure.

meeeeh

Peppery wrote: »

Thank you all so much for your replies. I suppose that’s my mind made up anyway, it’s just too much of a risk. Don’t fancy another mortgage for hospital bills! Feeling very stupid for not sorting out my health insurance sooner.

It's good to have half decent private health insurance. I haven't needed it much (except for getting private rooms in hospitals) but my partner did and swift referral can make a huge difference. However going private for pregnancy was complete waste of money and I went public for the second pregnancy. I really wouldn't worry, I got more tests and information as public patient. There are differences between hospitals and consultants but nothing that justifies the price of private care.

mirrorwall14

Sitting in a private room in the Coombe as I’m in isolation. Wouldn’t be paying for it tbh. it’s spartan. Between cleaning the room next door (the other private room) at 1 in the morning, movement on the corridor and check ups for me I’ve had very little sleep anyways

I’m public, the care is excellent. I can handle the wards!

splinter65

Peppery wrote: »

Thank you all so much for your replies. I suppose that’s my mind made up anyway, it’s just too much of a risk. Don’t fancy another mortgage for hospital bills! Feeling very stupid for not sorting out my health insurance sooner.

You don’t need health insurance. Your in one of the top ten countries in the world for maternal care. You and your baby are perfectly safe.

mybabylove

Peppery wrote: »

Thank you all so much for your replies. I suppose that’s my mind made up anyway, it’s just too much of a risk. Don’t fancy another mortgage for hospital bills! Feeling very stupid for not sorting out my health insurance sooner.

Nothing is stupid, everyone has the first time, you will have experience for the next time, good luck

Aveen

I was the same on my first with health insurance and I went public, ended up an emergency section. The care I received throughout pregnancy, birth and after was brilliant. Opt of public on second child, again ended in section no a problems or faults. Consultants are good but to me Midwives are amazing they do this all the time. Unfortunately like everything you may get someone you don’t like, but safe birth is the main thing.

happywithlife

Go public - you'll be fine. Well looked after if anything does crop up.
Two bits of advice I'd add
1. Speak up. It's tough to do as a first time mum but trust yourself & don't be passed off too easily. Acknowledge you're learning - the steepest learning curve you'll ever be on - but trust your instincts
2. Put baba on health insurance once born
Any major issues are likely to surface in first 2/3 years so keep them on the plan till then
You can reduce accordingly after that if you wish or need to

splinter65

happywithlife wrote: »

Go public - you'll be fine. Well looked after if anything does crop up.
Two bits of advice I'd add
1. Speak up. It's tough to do as a first time mum but trust yourself & don't be passed off too easily. Acknowledge you're learning - the steepest learning curve you'll ever be on - but trust your instincts
2. Put baba on health insurance once born
Any major issues are likely to surface in first 2/3 years so keep them on the plan till then
You can reduce accordingly after that if you wish or need to

This100 times . The midwives are good but they’re busy and they’re not mind readers !! If something is bothering you or hurting you just say it out and don’t think too much about it. Most important thing is that you are as comfortable as possible and baby is safe.

meeeeh

happywithlife wrote: »

2. Put baba on health insurance once born
Any major issues are likely to surface in first 2/3 years so keep them on the plan till then
You can reduce accordingly after that if you wish or need to

I might be wrong but I think you can put newborn on health insurance for free till the first renewal and then it depends what plan you are on. You just need to call them.