having a baby on a 457 visa......medical insurance?

**Tanya** · 25-03-2010, 05:17 PM

we're currently still in the UK but looking at all our options. I am pregnant and baby due in Oct. If we were to go over before the baby was born on a 457 and I gave birth in Australia, what sort of cost would be involved? I am diabetic and my last birth was a c-section so its considered a high risk pregnancy and chances are I'd have another c-section. Would we have to have some sort of private medical insurance or what would we do in this situation??........like I said, we're just weighing up options and will probably wait til next year anyway but just want to know if going before having the baby is an option (I am aware my little preggo brain may have made this post impossible to make sense to anyone but me!)

**stmatt** · 26-03-2010, 12:41 AM

Hi

Not really sure but I when we got our medical insurance there was a 1 year wait for pregnancy. You should get a recipricol medicare card though, so you would be covered for treatment in a public hospital.

**ShaunWilson** · 26-03-2010, 02:37 AM

We found out we were having our third baby the week before we got on the plane!!! (on 457 visa too) Arrived here, and under the medicare recprocal agreement, we didn't have to pay anything at all if we used the public services. All appointments, scans etc were covered. There were some complications with us too, but again, if you go with the public sector, it should all be covered. We ended up having baby at Flinders hospital, and the facilities, staff, in fact everything was fantastic. We were in a single room, and fathers were allowed to visit as much as they wanted. The aftercare is somewhat different to what we were used to with our first 2 in the UK. I say different, but the service was no less, just different.

**foxychick** · 26-03-2010, 06:07 AM

As shaun says. No cost through the public sector and care is fine.

One thing, if you are a previous c-section, they don't seem to like you going trial of scar. If you are a previous c-section and diabetic, I reckon you would have a very hard fight to have anything but another ceaser (from experience) however, care is very good, if a tad different to what you will be used to. I thought the diabetic part of the care was fantastic (although I only had gestational diabetes).

**Tanya** · 26-03-2010, 06:27 PM

thanks for all your replies...much appreciated and all positive re the care which is good to hear. (Foxychick, thats how I've got diabetes now-I got gestational diabetes with my last pregnancy but it didn't go away after the birth). As for the c-section, I'm not too bothered if I have to have another, at least I'll know what I'm in for with that as opposed to the pain of a natural birth (not into pain in any way shape or form lol). But the fact that care is good and my condition isn't an issue is all good.......just need to win the lottery now lol xx

**familygood** · 26-03-2010, 09:46 PM

Just my two penneth.. I arrived here 5 months pregnant and due end of May. I had a previous section and they have been nothing but encouraging me to try for VBAC so I guess its a matter of who you talk to. I have seen consultant and an anaesthetist to try and put my mind at rest so I wouldnt say they are anti VBAC at all in fact the other way! I have had such excellent care so far and all on Medicare public system including physio appts. The time they take with you is unbelievable compared to what I had last time in UK they actually have time for a converstation with you and seem interested in any questions or niggles. So definitely no worries on the medicare front and if anything you will get better care here!! Good luck!

**Tanya** · 27-03-2010, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by familygood

Just my two penneth.. I arrived here 5 months pregnant and due end of May. I had a previous section and they have been nothing but encouraging me to try for VBAC so I guess its a matter of who you talk to. I have seen consultant and an anaesthetist to try and put my mind at rest so I wouldnt say they are anti VBAC at all in fact the other way! I have had such excellent care so far and all on Medicare public system including physio appts. The time they take with you is unbelievable compared to what I had last time in UK they actually have time for a converstation with you and seem interested in any questions or niggles. So definitely no worries on the medicare front and if anything you will get better care here!! Good luck!

thanks Emma, this makes me want to go over now so I can be looked after! :D congrats on your pregnancy and wish you a safe healthy delivery xx

**P&P** · 18-01-2012, 07:43 AM

This thread has been really helpful. We have only just found out I am pregnant here in Adelaide and we are on 457 visas. I have made an initial Gps appointment for next week and then I am hoping all other appointments eg scans and midwife can be done at the Womens & Childrens hospital therefor not incuring any further costs. We have medicare cards that say reciprical healthcare. Hope I have understood the above properly!! Thanks again :-)

**Sallyh** · 18-01-2012, 11:24 PM

Can only reiterate that the public system here with Womens and childrens (or Flinders, or Lyell Mac, depending on where you live) is fantastic for pregnancy and birth. Also if you have any kind of complications after the baby was born you may be transferred to WCH anyway, so my SIL has started out private and is now with WCH anyway, only difference for her private care is that she has a private ob at the same hosp. And I have heard stuff recently about some of the care at the private hosps being not so good. So anyway, I think even tho we now have gone past the 1 yr bar on pregnancy with our health ins, I would choose WCH again IF WE WERE EVER AT THE POINT OF NEEDING TO!!! ;)

**Sunshinegal** · 03-04-2012, 05:55 AM

Hi all! Quick question to all the mom's on this feed... My husband and I will be living in Sydney, Australia on his 457 work visa and we just found out I'm 9 weeks pregnant :) Nervous as can be with insurance questions and such, seeing that we'd be leaving my amazing BCBS 80/10 plan in the United States. First question, Bupa has been the most helpful insurance company so far and said we'll be fine as long as my previous BCBS insurance can give us a certificate of currency, then with pregnancy there won't be a 12 mth waiting period like the rest? Medibank and Australian unity both said there would be a 12 mth waiting period for pregnancy and the birth wouldn't be covered but the bloodwork, ultrasound scans and epidural would be? So confused on what 457 insurance to choose when all the ratings are bitter in the google searches:0/ I was very impressed with Bupa's customer service and knoweldge of what to ask of my previous insurance to keep up continuity over in AUS.

So, when would we sign up for the reciprocal Medicare heathcare and what do we info do we need for this coverage? How did you find the midwives you liked and the GPs? How did you decide on whether or not to go private or public?

This is our 1st baby, BIG move and a bit overwhelming for this mommy-2-be! Suggestions would be very much appreciated :-)