HBA in
Melbourne (due to high demand) are now covering the services
ofindependent midwives up to $2000 (yippee). There is no waiting
periodif you have served your 12 months with another fund and if you
arejoining private health for the 1st time you still have the
12monthwaiting for maternity services. The cover includes pre
post natal anddelivery. The customer pays the account and
then sends the invoice toJenny Doherty (Customer Relations
Manager). At this point in time it is a pilot program so
if you call customerservices they will not know about it. Jenny's
direct number is 03 99374074.Jenny is also compiling
data comparing expenses for highly intervenedbirths versus the claims
she is getting for independent midwives."" "From www.defencehealth.com.au ,
a private health insurance companyprimarilyfor families of
military familiesMidwiferyA benefit is paid for
ante/post natal care, confinement and delivery athome or in hospital
where the service is provided by a registeredmidwife in private practice
recognised by Defence Health. If a doctor isrequired to intervene in the
delivery, this benefit is not payable.one mum SA says she
received rebate for a homebirth from Defence Health,about $750 broken up
into so much for pre-natal care and then about $250back on the birth. No
problem when the Indemnity insurance
stuffhappened.***AUSTRALIAN UNITY: SA
mum's details: Three Years ago I received 100%rebate for a homebirth.
The midwife charged $1200 ( not enough Ithought), and they would have
paid up to $1500 at that time. It was withAustralian Unity and I had
tohave a certain level of cover - though not the top. They would have
paidthe full fee for an independent midwife to attend with me at a
hospital,and I had to apply in writing to be approved the same funding
for ahomebirth, but theywere quite happy, and there were
absolutely no disputes. This was alsoright at the time of your indemnity
insurance dilemmas, and they werenot phased. I assume their policies
would not have changed since then.MUTUAL COMMUNITY: SA mum says:
I wrote a letter to my health fund MutualCommunity questioning why they
would not cover an independent midwifeand homebirth. They used my letter
as a business case and have nowdecided they will cover it. I'm not sure
if it is official across theboard yet. I am goingto be sending
my bill to a particular woman in the policy section. I'mhaving a
homebirth in December. I'll let you know if they honour
theclaim!***MBF cover the full amount
(but will not publicly tell you that) You needto go through high beings
and make an individual agreement, but manywomen are doing it. Many have
had $4,000 backTeachers Health rebate
wellNIB rebate a small
amountGrand United have just announced around $2000 and
featured Jan Robinson(NSW IPM) in their
brochure.NRMA (before being taken over) paid part unsure
who took them overHCF NoHBA have
just announced they will (details uncertain)Medibank
Private are scum bags and give nothing.I now advise all
women who have held a policy for some time to switch toMBF (if their
fund gives little or nothing) As an existing policy holderthe waiting
times are waived and so you can go to MBF and do a deal andget all the
costs back (by the way these are for homebirths, MBF covernothing
ifyou go to hospital, as they then cover Drs and I guess don't want to
paythe high Ob costs and a midwife on top). Is unfair if you transfer,
butthat's their rules..HEALTH PARTNERS cover
homebirth/independent midwifery: One mum phonedthem in Sept 05 - got a
few puzzled staff members putting her on holdthen told they will give up
to $40 rebate per prenatal and post natalvisit and max $200 for
labour/birth to total $800.00. A second mumconfirmed these amounts as
what she actually received - also thatservices must have been provided
by a registered midwife; she alsobelieves that if complications arise
and hospital birth isrequired then HP will pay benefits for hospital
according to your coverlevel, and any ambulance transfers required as
well as the pre/postnatalcare provided by the midwife. This mum had to
ask about getting her carecovered and got senta personal letter
outlining what they would cover/pay.TEACHERS FEDERATION
HEALTH: An SA midwife has just had a client withthis company who is
expecting to receive $1500 from them to cover herhomebirth. The midwife
had to give her an invoice with her ABN on it,setting out how much
shehad been charged for antenatal, birth/labour postnatal, as they
werespecific about how much they would reimburse for each
'part'.SGIC - used to cover, now
withdrawn.ISELECT - One local midwife says there is a
website and kind ofhealth-broker called iselect whom you can contact who
would have allthis information. She believes if we contact them they
could tell usexactly who covers homebirth/lactation consultancy and
private midwiferyand for how much etc. They'd do the running around and
