private hospital vs public?

[em_mummytobe]

I am 16weeks and considering changing to private? What will change and is it worth it?

[PBaby1]

No in the US the people who choose not to get insurance get fined. So everybody has to have it, there are programs to help lower in come families who can't afford it.

[mrs_farris]

Low income people qualify for reduced payments. If they are below the poverty line, there are programs for free health care.

[bkiddo35]

But do low income people pay for state insurance as well? Are there people who simply dont have any insurance?

[smchase]

As far as I know all the hospitals here in the US where mothers give birth are what you would consider a 'private' hospital. Out of all hospitals I have been to they are all great. For labor and delivery moms have their own room to share with the baby and father. Plus we see an OB doctor or midwife pretty often during our pregnancies.  As far as insurance goes everybody has to have insurance because of the health care law that was passed here. The only thing we really have to worry about for that is making sure the place we go to accepts the insurance we have whether its state funded for low income people or an insurance company that we pay monthly premiums for.

[bkiddo35]

Thats an interesting issue.. how does it work in the US? How good are your public hospitals? I am in Brazil and it is pretty much the same as Australia. Private hospitals allow you to stay in a suite with the baby and your husband 24/7. But either you musr have health insurance( my case) or pay from your pocket, which would cost smth around us$ 8.000,00

[smchase]

Ohhh. That seems so weird to me cause Im American so Im just used to what we have here lol.

[mummainoz]

In Australia public hospitals are run by the state and are available to everyone. If you're a public patient you have to have your baby in the closest public hospital to where you live and you usually have less appointments and don't see an OB until delivery, if one is needed. Private hospitals are run by private organisations and you have to have private health insurance or pay to go to them. If your a private patient you can choose which hospital you want to go to and pick whatever OB or private midwife you want. Its expensive tho and even with private health insurance you can expect a lot of out of pocket expenses.

[smchase]

Whats the difference between a private and public hospital?

[Kdiane7]

Did you have privet health care insurance? Or just you just have to pay for it all? I'm 16 weeks and going public. Only Becuase I'm only 22 and have never had any reason to get privet health care insurance, therefore I don't have it.

[mummainoz]

I went private last time and it was great. I had my own room with my own bathroom, choice of meals, my husband stayed over night for the whole week, and I could stay for as long as I wanted wasn't rushed out the door. I also saw the same OB throughout which was important to me because I was high risk. I'm in Australia tho so don't know what the difference is in other countries.