scubacam Posted December 5, 2018 Share Posted December 5, 2018 Ive put this in another topic too but just in case it doesn’t get seen by the right people I’ll put it here too. Hello everyone , I’m hoping someone or a few with different experiences will be able to jump on here and give me some advice. My husband and I are in the UK until 2020 . We want to have a second child at some point and what I’m wondering is , what does Medicare not cover? If I arm myself with insurance will I still have to pay out of pocket and then try to get it back? Or is it better to get on the baby train now with the nhs backing us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicky87 Posted December 6, 2018 Share Posted December 6, 2018 Hi, I don't have any helpful information but we have been wondering the same thing. You might also have to factor in maternity pay as it's only for 18 weeks in Australia... We've decided to try for baby no. 2 while still in the UK and if it happens we'll decide whether to have it in Oz or do a quick trip over, come back and apply for the child visa. It took us a while to catch with no. 1 so we have no idea what is going to happen but we just had our medicals so aiming to head over summer next year.. Good luck with what you decide x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber Snowball Posted December 6, 2018 Share Posted December 6, 2018 Haven’t used the Australian system for this and my use of the NHS was years ago, but I ‘ll add my 2cents. Not sure there is much out of pocket with medicare in the public system so like the NHS. Not sure how much follow up you get post discharge in Australia but there is some. States will differ. Private health insurance in Australia almost always has a gap. Most people I know have had to pay $2000 -$3000 out of pocket and you don’t get that back. One lady was charged $3000 for the anaesthetist alone so make sure you are informed. The government doesn’t place any controls on what doctors charge over and above Medicare. You usually have a wait time for any claims on private insurance as well, so look out for that, could be a year or 2 for obstetrics. They have a lot of small print. Public health in both countries can be a bit of a postcode lottery and you can find horror stories in both countries if you look hard enough. I would say have the baby when it suits you best not around a move in a couple of years. Both systems will care for you. I personally would use the public system in Australia for this as insurance with child birth on it is expensive unless you are going to use it for another 3 children! Sorry I can’t give first hand experience..... Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skani Posted December 6, 2018 Share Posted December 6, 2018 As mentioned above, health systems can vary between states. However, when my daughter had her 2 babies in the public health system (in Tasmania), there was no out of pocket expense. She was referred by her GP to the local public hospital Obstetric Unit, the pregnancies monitored there and the babies born there. I seem to recall a poster from another state saying the only expense she had in the public system was a charge for the ultrasound. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted December 6, 2018 Share Posted December 6, 2018 I've deleted the other thread with it being a duplicate and this one having had members reply. ETA if you're working you will need to check how much mat leave you will qualify for. Some health funds have a qualifying period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scubacam Posted December 7, 2018 Author Share Posted December 7, 2018 Hi, I don't have any helpful information but we have been wondering the same thing. You might also have to factor in maternity pay as it's only for 18 weeks in Australia... We've decided to try for baby no. 2 while still in the UK and if it happens we'll decide whether to have it in Oz or do a quick trip over, come back and apply for the child visa. It took us a while to catch with no. 1 so we have no idea what is going to happen but we just had our medicals so aiming to head over summer next year.. [emoji4] Good luck with what you decide xHi Vicky, I haven’t looked into the visa part but if you had it here in UK couldn’t you just sponsor the baby? That’s what I *thought* we could do. Why would you do your quick trip over and back? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toots Posted December 7, 2018 Share Posted December 7, 2018 I had 2 babies in Perth. No out of pocket expenses as Medicare covered everything. I was very fortunate as our GP was also an obstetrician so he monitored me throughout my pregnancies and he delivered both babies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicky87 Posted December 7, 2018 Share Posted December 7, 2018 If you get pregnant before the medical you can put your visa on hold and add them to the same visa, if you get pregnant after visa grant and decide to have the baby in the UK you would have to apply for a separate child visa. You have to activate the 189 visa within a year of it being granted (I think) and before your PCC and medicals expire so our first PCC was 30th Nov so we're aiming to at least visit Oz before then Hope that makes sense! It's all so complicated!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scubacam Posted December 7, 2018 Author Share Posted December 7, 2018 If you get pregnant before the medical you can put your visa on hold and add them to the same visa, if you get pregnant after visa grant and decide to have the baby in the UK you would have to apply for a separate child visa. You have to activate the 189 visa within a year of it being granted (I think) and before your PCC and medicals expire so our first PCC was 30th Nov so we're aiming to at least visit Oz before then Hope that makes sense! It's all so complicated!! Right I’m with you now. Our visa is granted and we are activating with a holiday in 4 months [emoji4][emoji4][emoji5] So I think we just sponsor our own child? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eera Posted December 7, 2018 Share Posted December 7, 2018 Both of mine were in Aus so can't comment on the UK system, but my experience was thus: went through the public system, no complaints, no expenses. First one was in the old "you breed 'em, you feed 'em" system where I returned to work after 3 months as there was no support at all and company didn't offer maternity pay (nearly killed me). Second one came in under the 18 weeks at minimum wage system, plus my company had introduced a 6 week maternity pay by then. These, plus my tax rebate meant I could take 6 months off and not be financially penalised. Increasingly companies are becoming more generous with their maternity leave; mine currently offers 20 weeks at full pay, and in my industry (engineering consulting) companies are tending to offer more to retain trained staff. Of course, these are discretionary payments and aren't in legislation so will depend on how long you've worked for and whom. I have no complaints about the Aus system, but then, have not experienced the UK one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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