We are moving to Brisbane this summer. I am six weeks pregnant and would like to know what are status would be regarding maternity care and childbirth?
Would we be eligible for medicare under the Reciprocal Health Care Act?
Hi Nade, not sure about health care but have you been granted your visa aready? If not im not sure if you have to let immmigration now about a change in circumstance as i heard that you may have to wait till after the birth. I hope this does not affect you, but thought i would mention it just in case.
Anyway congratulations and good luck x
Thanks the quick reply. I just wondered if you could clarify what you meant?
Do you mean I'd have to wait until after the birth before I could go to Australia? I don't have my visa yet and will be travelling as my husband's spouse.
When I arrived in Oz, I was only entitled to emergency medical treatment, at Casualty, at the local hospital. I was here under an ETA (tourist visa) at the time.
Once having been granted a Temporary Spouse Visa, I was entitled to antenatal care under Medicare. Most of the care is free, but if you need extra scans and things (for example, if there's chance your baby's at risk) then you have to pay for that "extra" scan, but I think you get to claim some of the $$ back from Medicare.. but I can't remember for 100%.
I needed an emergency scan at 5 and a half weeks, because I had a suspected threatened miscarriage.. and had to pay for that scan.
We are moving to Brisbane this summer. I am six weeks pregnant and would like to know what are status would be regarding maternity care and childbirth?
Would we be eligible for medicare under the Reciprocal Health Care Act?
Does anyone else have a similar experience?
Thanks a lot
Nade
Hello Nade I asked the same Question as the same happend to us last year. If you look at posts that I have said it may help. I can't remember what the answers was now.
i would also like to know this as we are waiting for our visas (meds and all checks finalised 4th march 08) and i am trying to get preganant now. surely if you went to oz and were still in early days of pregnancy you could say you did not realise you were pregnant. did you find out about healthcare? is it like this country with our NHS?
yvette
Hello Nade
this was the reply I got from Rest Family:
John
You should be fine. Medicare covers almost as much as the NHS here when it comes to antenatal care, you just may have to pay for your scans (although you do in some counties in the UK). You can fly upto 28 weeks without a docotrs note, so no probs there either.
It's nothing like the NHS. Midwives don't have the same status as in the UK and it's very much Dr led.
I'd wait and have it in the UK through choice. I think the service there is second to none. I'm actually put off having a 3rd child because of the way things are here (but then I've had 2 home births and would want a 3rd, pretty much impossible here)
Medicare always ends up costing you money. Very little is free.
At the end of the day it's all private medicine and that is about making money. I've worked in the NHS in the UK for 20 years and in the private sector (Harley St. no less) and I know which I would trust more.
Do lots of homework and make your own decision, don't listen to other people at this , of all ,times.
But it's all my opinion and you may like Drs and hospitals and stuff. I don't. They like to keep you in for a long time after the birth too. But you can escape if you are determined.
I'll shut up now.
A x
we arrived in Brisbane in November when I was just over 29 weeks pregnant. We are on a 457 visa which is a temporary visa. I immediately got the reciprocal health care card and went to see a doctor. The doctor then referred me to the local hospital. (saw the doctor on the thursday, hospital called me on the monday) At my first appointment there they asked if I wanted my antenatal care to be doctor led or midwife led at the hospital. I opted for midwife led at the hospital as you don't pay for this (you have to pay each time you see a doctor). This was my second pregnancy the first being an emergency caesarean for an undiagnosed breech). This baby was also breech and so it was a planned caesarean. I have not had to pay for any scans, these were just done along with the two-weekly checks at the hospital. The scan machine was literally just outside the doctor's room and he wheeled it in, had a quick look and confirmed baby was still breech each time. After the caesarean I had a room to myself which was very nice. In the UK I had to share a ward with 4 other women. I had my baby in the UK at Northwick Park Hospital in London. Not sure if you've heard about it but it made headlines last year and the year before for having major problems in its maternity department. Here in Brisbane I only had to stay in hospital two nights and then was allowed to go home although I could have stayed if I had wanted to.
I think both the UK and here have been adequate. The only thing about having the baby here was that the staff had much more time to spend with you as there just isn't the number of people that the hospitals back home have to deal with. They do a great job in the UK but are just understaffed.
Hi Nade,
Apparently some of the other applicants on here have emigrated prior to the birth of their child so it may not be an issue but i would strongly suggest that you check with your agent as everybody (including me) passes on info but each application is different so i would check just to be sure.
good luck with both the pregnancy and the visa.
