I think if you or the baby need intensive care, that could be an enormous bill if your health insurance doesn't cover it, and you are technically a 'non-resident'...
Am I missing something, but if you live in France, then you should use the French health system...no ? Because that's where you pay your taxes ? And because that's what health system you should belong to ?
I don't have any relevant advice for the OP as I had all my babies in the US but I am shocked at how expensive it is here. I can't find my bill for my kids but the total was around $3000 (regular birth, no complications) for which I had to pay $300 co-pay and the insurance paid the rest (I did find the paperwork from the doctors that they gave us at the first appointment to explain what costs were involved). As far as the prenatal care went, I had to pay a $20 co-pay and was done. I can't believe that the costs are that high here! Oh, and this was for a private room as well.
Sorry I don't have any info for CH...still just really surprised that it was so much less for us in the States where I thought all medical costs were higher
ANYWAYS I am not looking on advice about my health insurance. I was explaining what i was told. Cost cost cost!
Thanks for the ramble though!
Reality is that for those with Swiss insurance and whom have had kids, we simply have NO IDEA of the cost, as it is paid directly!
Tom
Yes, youd think.
i have moved around alot. Spend time in different countries. I wanted an insurance that would cover me for what ever contry iam in with out too much worry.
And so, again. . . i am not looking for any advice what so ever on my health insurance. thankfully i can add and subtract and can see numbers dont add up.
All i wanted was to know the numbers so i could do the math.
Next thread: the hospital has ripped me off
As a matter of interest and kind of related to this post , are home births common in Switzerland?
Our wee soldier was going to be a home born baby, but as there was a slight complications, mum was taken to the hospital as a pre-caution (both sailed through the birth).
We have discussed the possibility of more kids, especially once we've moved Swiss side, and home birth would still be a preferred option for us.
Anyone know the score with this?
Regards
Scotney x
I want nothing more than to have my baby at home, but my hubby has vetoed the idea - he's too afraid something will happen
Point is, your insurance is probably woefully inadequate if it covers just 8000Euro total, you could find yourself liable for 'how high is the sky' medical costs for yourself or your baby if the system doesn't cover you.
That's why it's not a question of 'the cost' - it's a question of 'what is actually covered' ? And does your health insurance cover the baby ?
In Switzerland, the compulsory health insurance covers enormous costs if you are hospitalised. Parents also take out health insurance for the unborn baby, which is used for if the baby is born premature, has birth defects or has birth complications. The coverage is very broad.
I'm curious to know how you can get health insurance that covers three countries and allows you to be exempt from the compulsory health insurance scheme in either France or Switzerland.... 'supplemental' is a different matter, but in Switzerland and France there is 'basic' and generally everyone has to pay it. I'm guessing you set up your 'private' health insurance in Germany, because I think there you are given the option of opting out of the public system if you take private cover. My understanding is that this is not possible in France or Switzerland.
My 'swiss' supplementary health insurance covers me for Switzerland, and also outside of Switzerland, but my 'basic' only covers me for treatment in Switzerland, and even limited to my local canton (state). The first thing my insurance would do when I needed treatment outside of my residential area, would be to see if it's feasable to send me home to be treated...
Yes it covers the baby when its born ... covered under my policy until renewal.. then i pay extra for his/her policy.
You know, honestly, i feel like i have to defend myself.
In no way am i making out the insurance is perfect. Fact is, its my insurance and thats it. and im fed up of "defending" it,
All i wanted to know was the cost. roughly. So i could ... as i have already said... do my maths.
Like already stated, if i wanted a lecture i would call my mother ... but even then id probably hang up.
And.... the insurance doesnt cover me just for the 3 countries... it covers me for Europe.
I am not pregnant, but we hope in the near future.... i am just fact finding.
You are here in a public forum and not asking a question at the helpline of Swiss health system. Phone a hospital and they will answer your question. You will not be wasting your time because they can give you exactly the answer you probably don't want to hear.
Look, the point is i asked a question and people decided to slate me about health insurace- its quite irritating. Deviates from the point. Like this conversation.
Just to be crystal clear here - the Swiss basic insurance does not cover the cost of pregnancy-related complications (this includes medical costs relating to a miscarriage). These come under your franchise and 10 percent cost sharing.
Post of the day
I'm afraid that its in the lifeblood of EF to be incredibly helpful in terms of the depth of experience available, but in amongst the wheat of benefit is always the chaff of patronisation (if thats a word) - just he price you need to pay for access to the collective wisdom of ex-pats
OK, I did a little short google search. Not a lot of results found, which I guess isn't surprising since health care is mandatory and it covers birth, so I couldn't find loads of people talking about the costs...
But I did run across this quote from the Basler Newspaper 2 years ago, I guess during a debate that women should pay for abortions:
Based on this info, the birth costs anywhere from 6000 - 15000. Again, not a lot of help, but probably tells you that 8000 € is on the low end. Doing a quick and not so thorough search for Germany comes up with more in the range of 6000 - 8000€, I did see one that said 10000 € but it was a complicated birth.
Hope this helps. As others have mentioned, your best bet is to call up a hospital or doctor in Germany, Switzerland and France and ask...
Out of curiosity: How long ago was that? Is it possible that things may have changed between then and now?
Hopefully on that perfect international insurance policy births are the only item with a coverage limit...
'93.
But we had low deductibles then.
We also have always had complimentary insurance (once I stated getting insurance, never had it the first couple years).
Tom
So, Dr Germany.. tels me about 6000 is the norm. Should be grand! Happy days. Of course for complications its more.... No one can predict the future!
So in fact Swiss basic insurance does cover these costs, open-ended, and once you're above your franchise and above the cut-off for the 10% deductible, you don't have to contribute.