Pregnancy & Private Healthcare Advice

[Emsylou602]

Hi everyone

 

After some healthcare advice…

 

Up until recently my husband and I really rated the medicare system and being fit and healthy we put of private health care (some would say stupidly). We always said we would eventually get it once we were properly settled and definitely before the end of the tax year even if it was just for basic cover.

 

When we were thinking of starting a family last year I asked for some advice on people experience of the medicare system and got some really positive responses so thought well that’s what we would have done in England (NHS) then we will do it here as I believe I would have a low risk pregnancy as I was young fit and healthy, and again stupidly put off getting private healthcare. I think I always associate private health care with the wealthy as back at home (well in my life anyway) everyone just used the good old NHS and didn’t have private healthcare.

 

It was my first pregnancy and I conceived with no problems, went to my bulk billed doctors’ appointments, blood tests and ultrasounds and still thought the service was pretty good. I had a bit of a wait (several days) to be squeezed in for my ultrasounds but nothing major. Unfortunately on my second scan they found there was no longer a heartbeat and I was going to have a miscarriage. Unfortunately my experience of the service I was provided for my miscarriage was horrendous.

 

The service I received after that ultrasound was terrible, endless waiting, no emotional support was offered. Nothing was explained on what had happened/ what was going to happen, I was even kept waiting for my D&C for 12 hours (fasting from the night before) and they ended up treating me for dehydration before cancellation my appointment as they were ‘too busy’ and I wasn’t deemed as an emergency. This happened the next day too, waited then sent home and rescheduled.

 

My husband and I decided that the experience of a miscarriage is hard enough without the terrible service that we would opt for private health care so if the unimaginable would happen again I would be better looked after.

 

Now not ever having private healthcare before here on in England I stupidly didn’t realise there was such a long waiting period of a YEAR! I know the sensible thing would be to wait for that year to be up so I know I’m covered but if any of you have ever experienced a first pregnancy miscarriage you will know that all you want is to be pregnant again as soon as your body/doctor says its ok to do so (3 – 4 months).

 

Does anyone know what other options I have? How much it costs to have a gynaecologist without private healthcare? What cost I would be looking at to have the baby in a private hospital etc? Any healthcare with a shorter waiting period?

 

I am more looking at having the same gynaecologist to look after me in my progression through the pregnancy for the scans, check-ups etc as I know I will be very anxious about possibly losing another one. I actually don’t mind having the baby at a normal hospital if I have had a healthy and normal pregnancy.

 

Now I know we are stupid for not arranging it sooner and not making it one of our priorities when we moved here but would really like some advice on our best options are if anyone has any?

 

Thank you for taking the time to ready my post

[ali]

I'm sorry for your loss having been through something similar I know that your next pregnancy will be fraught with anxiety. It may be your bad experience was down to the health care provider and not the public health system per se. Sadly, whilst you had to wait for your D&C being devils advocate it may have been that they had a genuine emergency for surgery.

 

King Edward Memorial has good perinatal services, including perinatal loss (if you were booked into King Eddies), other services/support is below.

 

SANDS WA Phone: 1300 072 637 (1300 0 SANDS) Email: adminwa@sands.org.au Web: http://www.sandswa.org.au

Other support services Pregnancy Loss Australia Phone: 1300 720 942 (business hours) WA Coordinator: wa@pregnancylossaustralia.org.au