There are many myths, misconceptions and traps about private health insurance. The most common is that it is too expensive or something to worry about in later life.
Private insurance allows you the choice of your preferred doctor and the chance to research and pick an obstetrician or gynaecologist you think is the best for you. Australia is lucky to have universal care in the public system however; many people do not know that they will not only be unable to choose a doctor but will often be cared for by a doctor-in-training at a public hospital.
The second most common myth is that you must have private health insurance to see a doctor privately.
Private health insurance only covers expenses for “in-hospital” services: for obstetrics this means your delivery or any admissions for monitoring or procedures and for gynaecology this generally means an operation. You do not need private health insurance to seek an opinion from a specialist in private. An outpatient appointment only has a rebate from Medicare and specialists have varying out-of-pocket costs which are rarely prohibitive. You may wish to simply get an opinion about a problem or you may wish to explore the expenses in “self-funding” an admission to hospital.
The third most common myth is that it is not urgent.
Private insurance often has a waiting time of up to a year before some services “kick-in”. This often includes obstetrics. The result can be unnecessarily deferring your pregnancy plans or not having your choice of doctor if pregnancy occurs earlier than planned.
My advice: get your insurance early, ensure it covers the services you need, shop around and never be afraid to see a specialist for an opinion even if your final care (operation, delivery or admission) isn’t necessarily in the private sector.
If you have any further questions regarding Private Health Insurance and pregnancy or gynaecological care please contact us today and we can arrange a suitable time.