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pregnancy costs

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pearline
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Post by pearline » Thu, 18 Feb 2010 3:22 pm

I had birthed at Raffles too. I think my package all in didn't reach the range of 10k? It was 4years back though. It costs around 6k for the package, including vaginal birth. Yes, they will also charge you for the gloves the gynae uses, and so on. These medical supplies being used depends on your gynae as each differs in usage patterns.

We did stay in a single room though, and I am surprised the hospital bill is more than 10k. Was the gynae costs also included in this? The package for the gynae visits cost us about 2k, I think. Of course, all these does not include the additional 5 month detailed scanning and so on.

In my opinion, they will usually give you a guideline on the fees and sometimes it can deviate by about 20% depending on the circumstances. For my first birth, there was more to pay for but for the second I didn't opt for any extras nor require much, so it was slightly cheaper.

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Post by snowqueen » Thu, 18 Feb 2010 8:52 pm

c$10k is allot for a vaginal delivery, mine was $9.5k for a c-section, extra days stay for me and baby (I was in a single room) and 2 rounds of photo therapy for the jaundice treatment. This included my gyne's surgical fees and theatre staff etc.

According to TMC's web site I think it says the average bill is $6000 but I was told to expect to add 20% (I think) to allow for unforseen circumstances.

Nice if you are PR and have Medisave but if you are not this is roughly what you can expect to pay.

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Post by Ilex » Wed, 24 Feb 2010 10:05 am

This thread is also really interesting to me as like Gravida I am pregnant in Singapore and have discovered that my health insurance doesn't cover pregnancy.

I am with an OB at Gleneagles who doesn't offer a package and I'm not a PR. My concern is the potential extra costs if the baby is premature. Does anyone know whether there is a company that offers a health insurance package to cover babies from birth?

Gravida, I hope you don't me asking this in your thread but thought that either you would know the answer, or would want to know it too

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Post by Sally Cinnamon » Wed, 24 Feb 2010 11:17 am

an Anti D injection which was $600 (I'm O Neg)
Snowqueen, Is it really that much for Anti-D?? :o :o I'm having my baby at Thomson as well. It's my third (the other two were born back in the UK). I'm O- and husband and kids are O+ so have always needed Anti-D. Is it the same price for the Anti-D injections mums get as well? I have my first Anti- D jab next week. Still think I'm going to faint each time I get a bill after seeing the gynae... don't think I'll ever get used to it!

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gravida
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Post by gravida » Wed, 24 Feb 2010 7:57 pm

Ilex wrote: My concern is the potential extra costs if the baby is premature. Does anyone know whether there is a company that offers a health insurance package to cover babies from birth?

Gravida, I hope you don't me asking this in your thread but thought that either you would know the answer, or would want to know it too
Of course, I do not mind. The more information, the better.
As far as I know, there is no insurance company that covers the expenses right from the birth. The only ones are those where mother is insured by the company and then the baby may be included in. When I was doing my search some time ago the best in my opinion was Bupa and it's branch from Netherlands (I hope I remember correctly). However, there is always a waiting period for the insurance to be effective, and with Bupa it was 10 months, despite the fact if the conception happened before the start of insurance or not (unlike other insurance companies, which require at least 12 months waiting period before the conception may occur).
There is one wonderful insurance agent located in Hong Kong, who has really helped me when I was trying to cover myself (at the end I am not covered, because of the preexisting condition, but he has really tried his best to help me). Here are his details:
Sam Cooper, PACIFIC PRIME INSURANCE BROKERS LTD, Suites 1 - 11, 35th Floor One Hung To Road Kwun Tong Hong Kong,
T: (+852) 3588 2929
F: (+852) 2915 7770
<http> www.pacificprime.com
<http> www.kwiksure.com

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Post by cbavasi » Wed, 24 Feb 2010 8:23 pm

I can also vouch for Pacific Prime Insurance Brokers in HK - they helped me find fantastic coverage for myself and our children here in Singapore. They gave me several different quotes from about 10 different providers and helped when I wanted to change from our original insurance company.

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Post by babypro » Thu, 25 Feb 2010 2:22 pm

snowqueen wrote:I had my baby at Thomson last February. The cost of the hospital bill was $9,500 for a C-section. If I'd had a natural birth is would have been considerably cheaper. This cost included my OBGYN's fees to perform the C-section, the anesthetic costs, extra days stay for me and baby, who also had 2 days photo light therapy due to jaundice and an Anti D injection which was $600 (I'm O Neg). This bill also included my paed costs, bed and board for my husband for 2 nights and even the other bits they charge you for light sick bowels and panty liners :)
Actually to save some money, you could have asked for home phototherapy for your baby's jaundice. This means that you can rent the phototherapy machines at home and treat standard jaundice from home. That way you would cut down on extra bed and board cost for you, your husband, and your baby. A lot of my friends whose baby had jaundice also did that, and they said it was a lifesaver... you can see what the machine looks like here http://www.thebabyspecialist.com.sg/med ... ght-combi/
hope it helps!

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gravida
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Post by gravida » Thu, 25 Feb 2010 8:44 pm

babypro, there is a special place for advertising...

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Post by snowqueen » Sat, 27 Feb 2010 5:29 am

Sally Cinnamon wrote:
an Anti D injection which was $600 (I'm O Neg)
Snowqueen, Is it really that much for Anti-D?? :o :o I'm having my baby at Thomson as well. It's my third (the other two were born back in the UK). I'm O- and husband and kids are O+ so have always needed Anti-D. Is it the same price for the Anti-D injections mums get as well? I have my first Anti- D jab next week. Still think I'm going to faint each time I get a bill after seeing the gynae... don't think I'll ever get used to it!
Hi, the cost of the Anti D injection was actually cheaper through my OBGYN - I had to have 2. I think the first one was at 28 weeks and was about $350-400 (I'll have to double check, I'm in the UK for a visit at the mo) and the 2nd was while I was admitted and was given the day after birth. I nearly died when I saw the bill that it was c$600 with GST. When I asked my doctor why her injection was cheaper she said she only charges for the jab and not for administering it.

The only down side is that my doctor put the jab in my leg which hurt like hell so when the nurses came round to give me my 2nd shot, I was so distressed with everything else I'd gone through in the last 24 hours I burst into tears and said "oh no not again". They must have thought I was mad. I was so relieved when they put the injection in my bum cheek because I didn't feel a thing lol!

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Post by snowqueen » Sat, 27 Feb 2010 5:34 am

babypro wrote:
snowqueen wrote:I had my baby at Thomson last February. The cost of the hospital bill was $9,500 for a C-section. If I'd had a natural birth is would have been considerably cheaper. This cost included my OBGYN's fees to perform the C-section, the anesthetic costs, extra days stay for me and baby, who also had 2 days photo light therapy due to jaundice and an Anti D injection which was $600 (I'm O Neg). This bill also included my paed costs, bed and board for my husband for 2 nights and even the other bits they charge you for light sick bowels and panty liners :)
Actually to save some money, you could have asked for home phototherapy for your baby's jaundice. This means that you can rent the phototherapy machines at home and treat standard jaundice from home. That way you would cut down on extra bed and board cost for you, your husband, and your baby. A lot of my friends whose baby had jaundice also did that, and they said it was a lifesaver... you can see what the machine looks like here http://www.thebabyspecialist.com.sg/med ... ght-combi/
hope it helps!
I never even knew you could ask for this and to be honest, my baby having jaundice is something I never considered having to deal with - it was a total shock to be told after 24 hours of my baby being born that he'd have to be taken away for treatment. I wouldn't have been able to do this from home anyway as I was still recovering from my C-section and I only had to stay one extra day.

Even after 2 days treatment my baby still had some jaundice so was advised to lay my baby in the sunlit window twice a day which worked just as well without having to hire any expensive equipment.

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post natal costs - paediatrician, vaccinations etc

Post by London chick » Mon, 01 Mar 2010 8:43 pm

Hi there,

Like you all did, I am currently gearing up to ensure I have enough set aside to pay for my baby's delivery, due date end of April :)

What has occurred to me is that I have no idea what to expect in terms of the cost of healthcare for the baby after birth, and my husband's general medical cover policy is as clear as mud on this sort of thing. We are trying to get clarification but just so we know how it works in Singapore, can anyone advise me what the normal process is - ie do you have a weekly check by a paediatrician once the baby is born, what happens with vaccinations and when (and how much are they??), are there specific packages that cater specifically for the healthcare of a newborn up to a certain age?

Most of the other expectant mothers/new mums I know are covered by their husband's employers medical health insurance, for both their maternity and the post natal child healthcare costs so are unable to advise me.

I would be ever so grateful if there is anyone out there who has already been through this that can advise...

Many thanks x

beppi
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Post by beppi » Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:20 pm

The hospital gave us a booklet with forms for all necessary medical checkups and vaccinations, according to which our daughter needs to see a doctor at 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 mths.
We didn't visit the hospital's pediatrician, as we didn't like her, but went to our favourite general doctor (who is also a good friend) at her heartland HDB clinic. As we only took the recommended minimum of vaccinations, the visits were between S$30 and 100, incl. medicine.
Of course the costs will be higher if you choose more (and more expensive) injections and tests or go to a specialist (pediatrician) or private hospital, or if (heaven forbid!) there are complications. Government polyclinics, on the other hand, will be cheaper than the above, if you can tolerate long waiting times and a different doctor for each visit.

Good luck and enjoy the ride!

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Post by siaomoose » Wed, 24 Mar 2010 2:44 pm

Hi Chikadilly, understand tat you delivered at NUH, which gynae did you go to? I am comtemplating whether to go Mt A or NUH, but knowing that the delivery fee at Mt A cost $10k, that's relly scary...

Hi mondaymorningquarterback & Beppi, are you able to share your bills break down with me? I am looking at normal delivery with epidural as a guide. Thank you!

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Post by beppi » Wed, 24 Mar 2010 4:29 pm

They give you a "package" price beforehand. All hospitals are around the same (plus/minus a few hundred) for the package. But you have to add a lot of extras (e.g. I found it ridiculous that the disposable shaver to clean her before delivery was not included in the package!), the doctor's fees (Gyn and Paed, ask them for their fees), plus of course any extra treatment or complication.
In our case a day extra and photo therapy for jaundice jacked up the price, but they also charged us for use of an electric breast pump and for the time with the in-house lactation consultant.
Also: Since our Gyn was external, she charged separately (not through the hospital bill).
Altogether, we ended up paying more than double the package price. According to what I heard from others, that is normal.

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Post by siaomoose » Wed, 24 Mar 2010 4:43 pm

Hi, may i know who is your gynae? Apparently i saw differences in their pricing leh. What is the types of room you stayed? thks.

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