The Cost of Giving Birth in HK



ORIGINAL POST
Posted by Chia Pet 16 yrs ago
Hi all


My husband and I are trying now. Was just wondering about the cost of the prenatal check ups, hospital bills etc. Are they all covered under the health insurance coverage or what?


We have AIA.


any input would be greatly appreciated

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COMMENTS
neenib 16 yrs ago
I went fully private all the way (though husband's work health insurance). All up, I'm scared to say I think roughly around $100K easily.

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Chia Pet 16 yrs ago
I'm just a little bit surprised, after talking to a girlfriend who just found out she's pregnant. She went to a OBGY, even though her husband had health insurance coverage, the nurses at the counter told her pregnancy is not covered. She walked out with some vitamins, a sonogram, and $1200HKD short.


I was completely shocked!!! How can that be?! It's just so expensive. Did she get ripped off or that's the way it is in HK? How can I have a child in HK without costing me an arm and a leg?

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jamil 16 yrs ago
Contacting you insurance agent would be a good idea wouldn't it?

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funbobby 16 yrs ago
same here, neither mine (Blue Cross) nor my wifes (BUPA) covered any pregnancy related costs...and as to the cost of our delivery, one week in hosp for my wife, one extra for our preemie daughter, HK$600...FULL STOP.

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Katetam 16 yrs ago
There arent' many insurance here that would cover ANY bills related to Pregnancy. (Like BUPA or Blue Cross)

Ob/Gyn's here for expats typically offers a Prenatal/pregnancy/delivery/postnatal package. Includes number of visits, tests, vitamins, ultrasounds, and normal natural birth. Then if there are extras like complications, and C-section, or other expenses, will be added accordingly.


Public Hospitals would save you $.


Private Hospitals with the doctors that say they only go to CERTAIN hospitals, charge DOUBLE for non-office hours deliveries, and the surgery room for C-section on a non-office hour also is double charged.


In Private hospitals, nicer rooms, nice facilities, less crowded, the better doctors choose to deliver in these..... have rooms for 8, 3, or private rooms...... also by packages. Every Q-tip, cotton ball, napkin, medication, food....etc has surcharges depending on the type of room you choose.


Typically 4 days 3 nights for natural birth, and 6 days 5 nights for C-section. (Some have 5 days 4nights)


I am a mother of two.... each pregnancy was ABOUT $ 150 000 HKD for the delivery, room, doctor charges, baby's care..... in a private room, private hospital, C-section by one of HK 's most TOP notch ob/gyn, on a Sunday !


Good luck !!!

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funbobby 16 yrs ago
not true, both my cousin and her husband have insurance thru work that covers entire costs (hence why they chose Matilda for delivery of both of their children...)


don't forget that some of these private "hospitals" can't handle anything but the most routine and complication free deliveries and C's...any emergency situations and they send you to a public hospital, where the real doctors work ;-)

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neenib 16 yrs ago
C-sections are done over here at the whim of the doctor. It's easier for a c-section than to be inconvenienced. A lot of doctors also choose c-section over here because of the waiting lists for private hospitals.


I was on a waiting list at Matilda until the day before my c-section. In fact on the actual day it still wasn't 100%! When I first fell pregnant, just about every person I spoke to to said good luck finding a doctor who will let you go naturally, it's just not the done thing. In the end I had a c-section because of placenta previa.


Our health insurance covered everything by the way. I think you need to make sure you have full coverages BEFORE you fall pregnant and there no waiting time.

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Katetam 16 yrs ago
Please tell me which insurance covers pregnancy costs.... this is very valuable info to have. I haven't come across any that does. Thanks!

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Jupiter105 16 yrs ago
I have bupa gold international cover with my job and it covers fully pregnancy and miscarriage related costs

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Havefaith 16 yrs ago
I have insufficient pregnancy insurance coverage with my health insurance provided by my employer so I bought Blue Cross Taipan - it has a HK$50,000 pregnancy coverage - not quite full coverage but it helps.

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Matilda 16 yrs ago
You will need to check directly with the insurance company to see what is covered in your policy however for the maternity package prices you can find ours on the website

Prices: http://www.matilda.org/pricelist/pricelist.php

booking procedure: http://www.matilda.org/pdf/maternity/matprocedureeng.pdf

maternity update: http://www.matilda.org/pdf/maternity/eng2008matupdate.pdf

website: http://www.matilda.org


Lynne

Matilda International Hospital

Hong kong

852-28490328


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jing22 16 yrs ago
We've been looking into this too - seems most basic insurance doesn't cover it, however you can upgrade your plan to cover pregnancy/maternity. I have a bupa basic type plan, mine has upgrade option (+$13,000/yr.) with first year of coverage restricted (i.e. have to wait 1 year to be covered). Best to check direct with your provider as each has different rules/ upgrades and restrictions.

Good Luck!

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SanjKash 16 yrs ago
We have IHI which covers pretty much all maternity related costs. But if you sign up now, need to wait 1 year before making any claim. I think that is the same for most insurance plans like this.


If insurance covers, should go for private - the key part of giving birth, apart from the birth, is the recovery as well. Both kids were at Matilda, and it is a 7 star service - peaceful surroundings. My husband did not mind paying a bit on top of our insurance max. for this.

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rasbro 16 yrs ago
though i gave her the choice my wife decided on public hospital as she did not plan to stay in the hospital any longer than necessary, besides - she got 7 star service at home!


BUPA did not cover any costs but my company re-imburses up to 25000HKD in pregnancy costs.


she was very very pleased with the service, expertise, and facilities provided and did not miss the private service as she was home the next day.


500HKD and she was able to deliver exactly as she wished (Queen Mary) no drugs, no pressure for c-section, and they listened to all of her requests without complaint.


she wants to have our next child here in Queen Mary rather than going back to her home country or a private hospital here...

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stjo 16 yrs ago
Cigna International covered all our costs twice for delivery at Matilda without question except for room upgrade and visitor meals, of course this means we were insured before pregnancy.

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MargN 16 yrs ago
Hi - i am moving to Shanghai end of June and will be in a somewhat similar situation, so i have been doing some homework myself.

GlobalHealth was US $7,881.00 for me and covered Maternity and Worldwide Coverage. I could also put my two little boys on it for this cost too.

christian@kwiksure.com is the best person to email and he will reply back to you that day:

Home, Motor, Medical, Travel, Maid, Fire, Business Life

Tel: +852 3113 1331

Direct Line: +852 3110 2330

Mob: +852 9832 5331

Direct Fax: +852 2915 7770

Units 1 - 11

35/F

One Hung To Rd

Kwun Tong

Kowloon

Kwiksure is wholly owned by Pacific Prime Insurance Brokers ltd

Pacific Prime Insurance Brokers is a member of the Professional Insurance Brokers Association Reg. No 0201.

The two insurances in this 8 lots of insurances that i was looking at, both covered Maternity (but it said 'No' to complications during childbirth, so that appears to be a No for Casears; and i will need one) and it really covers literally everything else, including new born coverage, new born congenital conditions and complications during pregnancy.

The average waiting for any pregnancy insurances it seems is 10-12 mths as someone mentioned (as are these ones). So you would have needed to sign up BEFORE you got pregnant to be covered.

The cost for the ones i was looking at with maternity are US $7,343, US $5,636 and US $ 5,373. They whipped these up for me based on my age (35) and so on. So just give him a few details (age) and he'll whip up a Quote (or 8!) for you!

From what i've read on this forum, Public hospitals are good if you speak the language. Like any public hospital, you'd see whatever doctor is on duty for your check-ups and the same when you gave birth. That is no probs if you are having a complicated-free pregnancy and birth (unlike mine) and are confident enough not to need a 'relationship' with whoever is helping you give birth.

I am probably going to come home (NZ) to have Baby when the time comes. Apparently you can travel up to 35 wks, and i'd come back to shanghai when baby is 6 wks old (and has some immune system and Baby's ears can handle the flight).

Havent decided 100% yet, but that looks like the go, as Private Insurance is too expensive and Public isnt really an option for us.

Hope i have helped! All the very best with your darling baby.


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adele78 16 yrs ago
The only negatives I've heard about the public system from a westerners perspective is that you might not like congee for breakfast and food is served on their schedule and not when youmight be hungry. Everyone I know who births through the public system brings a cooler of easy foods or has hubby or friends bring in a care pack. You're there for such a short period of time that I think a less than 7 star room is tolerable! I'd rather be at home as quickly as I could be anyway and I hear for 2nd deliveries and uncomplicated births you can sign yourself out in 36 hours. Our 2nd will be born here (1st born in Sweden) and I'll go public.

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AliciaP 16 yrs ago
I had all my three children (at the Matilda) naturally and drug free, yes I am unusual, out of the 15 babies born on the same day as my daughter, I was the only mother who did it without any drugs. I do like telling people that first thing the midwife asked me when I walked out of the lift was "would you like an epidural?" even before she asked my name! So if you go naturally the cost should be around $25 ish for the Dr. (included all appointments, scans etc.) and $25ish for the hospital. We had insurance, if we didn't then they would of all been born at the Queen Mary!

Best of luck trying!

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Heidiinhongkong 16 yrs ago
I did my checkups at Annerley by a midwife there, everything apart from one 11 weeks checkup at the Tsan Yuk hospital (this one was free and they did all the blood tests), a 20 week scan, (did this one at Dr. Lam in Central and cost around 1500 HKD), and one 37 weeks checkup at the Tsan Yuk. The rest of them, around 10 times, I believe, I did at Annerley and the cost was 250 HKD for each checkup. I always saw the same midwife which was great and I had the feeling she always had plenty of time for me and my 100 questions, in addition to doing the regular checkup. Totally worth the money, no waiting time and the cost, all in all was less than 5000 HKD. I had an insurance but it did not become active for pregnancy until 1.5 months after I gave birth! But I was also very pleased with the birth at the Queen Mary, which cost less than 500 HKD, including a phototherapy for my son for 1 day.

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godfear 16 yrs ago
We gave birth at Queen Mary. Just the basic plan, no private room. The delivery room is private of course, just not afterward. Stayed 2 days. The nurses were loud at night, my wife says and the food crappy. But with HKID, we payed $200HKD. (Parking actually cost more.) We had a fine experience and would do it again.

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razzoo 16 yrs ago
I have AIA as well and they cover up to 150,000 for maternity. But it also depends on what plan you have with them. I would just call you agent and check.

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blairmorgan 12 yrs ago
having children is very difficult when it comes to money. There are a lot of ways you can reduce expenses. You can breast feed to save on formula, and also you can keep away from disposable baby diapers with cloth diapers. Even if you do save cash in those ways, you will still need a quick cash advance to help cover all the other costs. You cannot save much when getting a crib, car seat and stroller. Find out more at: https://personalmoneynetwork.com/payday-loans

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scorpio01 12 yrs ago
1) you breast feed not to save money but because it is better for the baby

2)if you can afford a car(with parking/fuel) in HK then you can afford diapers also



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