I can't help with the cost in Geneva but I just had my baby in Spital Zimmerberg in Horgen and I was quoted 1800 for a semi-private room and 2500 for private (at least I'm pretty sure that was the figures).
I know someone who had semi private hospital cover so she gave birth in the private Hirslanden but to upgrade to a private room from her semi private room was about 1000chf a day - she was in for 6 days
I have semi private hospital cover already so am entitled to be in a semi private room in normal hospital or a private hospital, however I had an operation done last year before I got the semi private cover and my doctor who wanted to perform the op only worked at a private hospital - for him to do the op at his hospital it was going to cost about CHF 6k for his time plus a cost per night in the hospital so I think the upgrade may be pricey
The normal hospitals here are great and to be honest apart from the food and nice room in the private hospital my experience in a basic ward was a little better than my experience when i was in the private hospital - mainly care related, the nurses were much friendlier in the basic hospital - surroundings nicer in the private hospital
I think the price quoted was per night as they can't be sure how long someone would be in for. It seems to be if you a straightforward birth you are in for 5 days (although in some cases they would allow you out before) and if you have a C-section it's 10 days.
Sorry to jump in, But does anyone know the cost for semi-private or private rooms at the Hospital Bulach? My insurance didn't allow me coverage for private since I didn't ask for it before I planned to get pregnant (grrr!!!).
Some hospitals publish the upgrade options and costs on their websites. Zug was CHF 2000 for private room for 5 nights and chioce of doctor (so your doctor will be at the delivery if they are not on duty). If you only end up staying 4 nights you get a refund too.
It will work out cheaper paying the hospital directly - since you need to pay for private insurance for a year before your hospital stay and to the end of the year you actually deliver.
At Lachen Spital we paid only 800CHF and it covered the full 5 day stay, private "family" room (they pushed two beds together) and meals for the husband every day.
First of all you have to check to see if your health insurance covers you for private or semi private maternity. It is not always clear with the health insurance policies here and I recently found out that mine does not cover maternity. My ob/gyn said that this happens to foreigners all the time here. I have a full private insurance with Helsana but have just found out that I need an additional add on insurance for maternity for them to pay the costs for a private or semi private room. Plus you need to be covered by this insurance for 6 months before you become pregnant in order for it to pay your costs. But this may vary depending on who you are insured with.
We want to go for a private room for so we are paying up and have recently received some quotes from hospitals in Zurich. For example the Klinik Hirslanden quoted an all inclusive package price for a stay of 6 days in a semi private or full private room with all the clinic's services, and nursing/care of the baby. CHF 9,160 total with a semi private room or add on CHF 220 per day to upgrade to a full private room. A c-section would cost an additional CHF 1,100. Then the ob/gyn costs are separate and billed separately. Mine will cost an additional approx. CHF 6,000 for him to perform the delivery, the assistance, his visits afterwards and the anesthetist. The Bethanien in Zurich also quoted a similar price. We were offered a significantly cheaper option at the Sanitas hospital for private or semi private, but this hospital is approx 1 1/2 hour drive from our house and we want to be somewhere closer. There is some basic insurance costs that my policy will cover but I believe it will only be a couple of thousand francs.
We are biting the bullet and paying for what we want, but I will be taking out the additional maternity suppliment insurance on my private policy after the birth so that it will cover me for our next child.
Also sorry for jumping in but Lexicat my jaw really dropped when I read your post!! I just have basic health insurance but my gynaecologist is working out of the Hirslanden clinic. I'm clueless as to how it all works here, but if I want my gynaecologist to deliver the baby could I expect a bill like yours, or would the bill be similar to what one would have at the university hospital, or would I just have to upgrade at the Hirslanden to avail of the services
We have a flex program (basic care unless you opt for semi private +10% of extra costs or private 25% of costs) with OEKK. I opted for a private birth at Bethanien in Zurich and our total costs for hospital, doc and anaestetist were 4,000chf (policy states private costs are capped at 4k per year). Given I have just had another operation at Pyramide privately for which I pay no extra charge (cap already reached with the birth) we are laughing this year.
It really pays to think ahead when you choose your insurance. It may cost us a little more per month but because we had the baby and surgery planned it really worked for us this year (for a change :-) )
Just to add to this - I had my baby in Vaud (not geneva) in July last year. I have semi private insurance - but de to being English i was automatically allocated a private room
I was required to stay for 4 days and the cost was approx 2000CHF (all paid by my insurance)
Eireann we paid about the same as that for going private in a partner clinic of the Hirslanden. Doctor billed separately, along the same lines and then the paediatrician too.Our insurance covered the whole lot, but I've kept the bill to remind myself anyway.
I just read your message. Thats great, glad u got a private room in hospital. We are english spoken but got a room with 3 in one room at CHUV. Did you go to the CHUV hospital or Morges or Nyon hospital. We are searching for a private maternity clinic , but until now we found only clinic Cecile in Lausanne. Do you know some other private clinics around Nyon?
The importance is not the clinic or hospital but the best doctor that you feel comfortable with. Private and semi-private insurance can be very useful to move things along and entitles you to a more comfortable situation but, do not forget though that in regards to maternity, if there are any issues (premature etc) the baby and mother are transferred to the cantonal hospital because the private clinics usually do not have neonate infrastructures.
Does anyone have childbirth experience at the Kantonspital Baden? For hospital, we only have basic insurance.
We are trying to decide if we should pay out-of-pocket for the private Bethanien clinic in Zurich. Total costs at Bethanien for a c-section delivery of twins will be about CH 30,000. Is the medical care in a private hospital really better than the kanton hospital? I don't care about gourmet meals or views of the alps, I want the best medical care.