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Having a baby in Oz with VHI Insurance (Perm Res)

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  • 18-01-2015 4:47am
    #1
    hgbrux
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭


    Hi all,

    Wondering if anyone here has used VHI health insurance (Global Cover, level 2) to go private when having a baby in Australia?

    VHI will pay out a maximum of €5000 which we can use however we want for the pregnancy (i.e. solely use it to cover the hospital stay), but I'd like to have good idea of how much we're going to be out-of-pocket overall (when you consider blood tests, ultrasounds, obstetrician fees etc)?

    Has anyone here claimed maternity benefit with VHI and how much were you out-of-pocket?

    We are permanent residents so have the option to go public, but want to consider all our options, especially when we have maternity cover under our current policy with VHI.

    Thanks!
    Tagged:


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,243 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    Will the policy even cover you as permanent resident (as opposed to visitors) in another country?


  • Options
    #3
    hgbrux
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭hgbrux


    Victor wrote: »
    Will the policy even cover you as permanent resident (as opposed to visitors) in another country?

    Yes, it's for anyone living or travelling overseas for more than six months to a maximum of six (possibly seven) years... can't remember off the top of my head. It doesn't matter if you're on a holiday visa, temporary, perm resident or have citizenship of another country...


  • Options
    #4
    hgbrux
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭hgbrux


    Victor wrote: »
    Will the policy even cover you as permanent resident (as opposed to visitors) in another country?

    Yes, it's for anyone living or travelling overseas for more than six months to a maximum of six (possibly seven) years... can't remember off the top of my head. It doesn't matter if you're on a holiday visa, temporary, perm resident or have citizenship of another country...

    Check out their website; all the info is up there.


  • Options
    #5
    10021
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20 ✭10021


    Hi, congratulations on you pregnancy. I have had two children privately in Australia and pregnant with the third. I have just received the letter from my OB outlining her expenses. Did at quick add up we are looking at $4500 out of pocket for the OB, scans and our $250 Hospital excess. Medicare will rebate about $1000. Health insurance paid about $4000 to the hospital with my last. There are private hospitals which are over $20000. Definitely call around.

    Other expenses to consider are the pead, anaesthetist and also if, unfortunately, you end up in ICU or baby in NICU.


  • Options
    #6
    hgbrux
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭hgbrux


    Thanks 10021! That's really useful. I presume you were insured here in Australia?

    Thinking of going private in a public hospital;just trying to work out after VHI's €5000 (approx $7k) what we'll be have to pay ourselves. By the sounds of the above it looks like we should be prepared to pay an extra €4000-5000, before even thinking about an anesthetist etc.

    Thanks again!


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  • Options
    #7
    Zambia
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,333 ✭✭✭Zambia


    We had our kids in the public system. We have private medical insurance but not maternity.

    We used the private cover to get a private room and didn't suffer any out of pocket.


  • Options
    #8
    hgbrux
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭hgbrux


    Zambia wrote: »
    We had our kids in the public system. We have private medical insurance but not maternity.

    We used the private cover to get a private room and didn't suffer any out of pocket.

    Oh that's a very useful tip, thanks Zambia! I was leaning towards going public - it seems to be of a really high quality here - just considering private because we have the cover.

    Thanks again.


  • Options
    #9
    Zambia
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,333 ✭✭✭Zambia


    hgbrux wrote: »
    Oh that's a very useful tip, thanks Zambia! I was leaning towards going public - it seems to be of a really high quality here - just considering private because we have the cover.

    Thanks again.

    Depends where you are but its good, just try for the private room.


  • Options
    #10
    10021
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20 ✭10021


    Your welcome. Yes my insurance is in Australia, should have said that. It is all the specialists fees that make it expensive.

    Give the hospital to plan to deliver at a call in regards to going private for a private room. They cannot guarantee the private room but them knowing in advance will probably help you get it as public hospitals like it when people elect to go private. A private room is definitely the way to go, not sure how I would have managed sharing room (and bathroom) immediately after giving birth. I was at a different hospital with my second and they have a deal worked out with a five star hotel for the last two nights of the stay, it was fantastic and all covered by the insurance.


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