Aussie's $963 Medicare shock as mum-to-be breaks down cost of having a baby: 'Incredible'
A Melbourne mum-to-be has shared her surprise at the cost of giving birth in Australia. The cost of having a baby in Australia can vary significantly depending on whether you go public or private, with Medicare covering most costs of pregnancy and childbirth if you opt for the public system.
Sarah Brewer and her partner are expecting their first child in September and have spent $963 so far through the public system. The 29-year-old told Yahoo Finance she was 'really surprised' by how low their out-of-pocket costs have been.
'I was living overseas for the past couple of years and I just hear a lot of stuff online about how basically terrible our healthcare system is becoming and how hard it is to get a GP that bulk bills and all these kinds of things,' she said.
'I was going into it expecting to have to pay $230 for every scan, so I was surprised that so much was covered but it's incredible.'
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Brewer shared a video online going through her costs so far.
Her and her partner found out they were pregnant in December and were able to see a bulk billing GP for free to get blood tests and confirm the results.
Their first dating scan was also free, along with follow-up visits to the GP.
Their 12-week scan was $230, with $66 back from Medicare, and they opted to get genetic testing done, which cost them $799 for the top-tier NIPT testing.
Their hospital care and midwife appointments at Monash Health have also been free.
They have been told their future 20-week, 28-week and 32-week scans will also be free.
Altogether, they are out of pocket $963 for the 12-week scan and genetic testing with no future expenses expected.
Brewer was made redundant from her job as a fitness manager and personal trainer at a gym in March and has been applying for casual retail jobs. Her partner owns his own landscaping business.
'Obviously, raising a baby is not the cheapest thing, so I'm expecting there will be significant costs in the future,' she told Yahoo Finance.
'I'm trying to do everything on the cheap, buying stuff off Facebook Marketplace, and family and friends have been chipping in, so just trying to lower my costs as much as possible.'
Brewer said she was finding it hard to find a job given she can only work for a short period of time before the baby arrives.
'It's so hard to find a job at five months pregnant. I get interviews and as soon as I say I'm looking for 12 to 16 weeks worth of work because I'm pregnant, they're like alright bye,' she said.
'I apply for 20, 30 jobs a day and don't hear anything back … I used to work in operations and logistics and had a team of 200 people I was in charge of and a Business degree.
'It's partly on me because I'm not applying for big girl jobs, I'm applying for casual jobs but I am finding it tough just to get my foot in the door.'
The cost of having a baby varies significantly depending on whether you choose the public or private healthcare system.
Finder's survey of more than 1,000 Aussies found $726 was the average cost for childbirth in the public system. This can cover things like optional dating scans, genetic testing, private specialist appointments or other occasionally extra costs.
'In the public system, all of the associated costs of pregnancy and childbirth are generally covered by Medicare, resulting in very few out-of-pocket expenses,' Finder personal finance expert Sarah Megginson told Yahoo Finance.
In comparison, Finder found you can expect to be out of pocket at least $5,000 for a private pregnancy and birth. But some Aussies could spend upwards of $10,000 to $12,000.
'A private pregnancy and birth can be quite expensive,' Megginson said.
'While gold-level health insurance should cover a large portion of the hospital costs, there's often still substantial out-of-pocket expenses for your ongoing specialist appointments.
'Medicare covers a small rebate, but most mothers-to-be can expect to be out of pocket by several thousand dollars for their obstetric appointments alone.'
Additional costs can include things like scans, gap fees for your obstetrician, anaesthetist and paediatrician, and excess on your hospital cover.
Megginson said the decision to go public or private was a 'personal choice' and was about more than just numbers.
She noted private care gave you access to more choices around your obstetrician, which hospital you deliver at, the times and dates of your appointments, along with getting a private room after birth.
'It really depends on the access you have to public hospitals in your area too, and also your own unique health concerns,' she said.
'I've given birth four times in a private hospital, and my out-of-pocket costs were in the range of $3,000 to 7,000 each birth – keeping in mind, my first birth was almost 15 years ago!
'It was really important to me to choose my own obstetrician and have that continuity of care, and I also wanted to stay in a private room for a few nights after birth. But if those things aren't as important to you, you could save a small fortune by going public.'
Brewer said she didn't have private health insurance and had decided to go through the public system.
She said she has been happy with her decision and has received "incredible" care so far.
'As someone with no fertility issues or anything, I didn't see the benefit of going private. I thought the public system would be fine and didn't have any hesitations,' she said.
Megginson recommended Aussies weighing up the decision do some research and list out all the costs involved.
You could also take a tour of the maternity and delivery suites in your local hospitals to help with your decision.Sign in to access your portfolio
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