6

My job takes my overseas -- sometimes very far away. For now my wife is pregnant and is around 19 weeks. She is coming out to see me a few weeks at a time, and is intending on staying until she is due with the baby (so we can be together because I am obligated to be here 'til March or so).

The thing is, she will have to keep seeing doctors. When she's here (Australia), how would this work out? She has a passport and has been here before, but how would this work? Would the pay for checkups have to be done out of pocket? Is this something we should specifically work out before hand, as opposed to right on the spot? She will likely need to see weekly/bi-weekly checkups, combined with her regular doctor back at home.

The question is, more so actually, if we should prepare this before -- or just pay everything out of pocket when necessary? How would this work out?

I figured this question would fit since it involves variables surrounding travel -- and is not expatriate-related since this is only for several months or so.

Her health insurance has nothing mentioning international terms. And I'm just wondering if there's a "better" way of setting this up that should be noted.

Improve this question
4
  • 1
    Just to clarify, do you mean to say that your wife will be flying back and forth between (wherever) and Australia every few weeks while pregnant? If so, please consider that this is very risky for both mum and baby, and if baby comes early then she might be giving birth in a foreign country where she doesn't speak the language. I speak from experience, this happened to me.
    – Greg Hewgill
    Nov 9, 2016 at 1:19
  • @GregHewgill Australia is primarily English-speaking, which is what language we speak. She will only go back and forth a few times, but after 30 weeks she will stay here with me. She just wants to do this because I can't be back at home until March or so, and she could have the baby by then. Also, I mentioned in the question that this is intentional -- she wants to have the baby here in Australia, but we won't we living here -- we live in Canada. pnuts, she has OHIP and CPNP coverage.
    – Sey Charl
    Nov 9, 2016 at 2:00
  • Okay, best of luck then. Do keep in mind that if your baby comes early, in Australia, then the cost of NICU care will be eye-watering since you are not Australian residents. Your health insurance won't cover it.
    – Greg Hewgill
    Nov 9, 2016 at 2:10
  • 1
    In general, travel insurance does not cover pregnancy since it, and the birth, are expected events, and coverage would have to be obtained before a pregnancy (too late now) for the unexpected or complications. You'd want look at what prenatal and natal expenses are in Australia.
    – Giorgio
    Nov 9, 2016 at 2:28

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
4

Having a baby in Australia to non-Australian-resident parents is quite possibly an expensive proposition. A quick Google search shows that it would likely be at least $6000 for a natural full-term birth without complications. If there are any complications (premature birth, C-section, gestational diabetes, etc - and the list is long) then the medical charges will be much greater.

If your wife's health insurance doesn't mention international terms then nothing outside Canada is covered. You will have difficulty finding a travel insurance plan that allows your wife to travel much after about the 26th week, and even if you do then it won't cover any of the birth. You would have to ask your travel insurance provider if they cover regular pregnancy-related checkups.

If you work it out on the spot in Australia, then you will certainly be paying all of it out of pocket.

Improve this answer
2
  • 1
    @pnuts: I don't know about that specifically. In any case, Canada is not one of them.
    – Greg Hewgill
    Nov 9, 2016 at 2:42
  • 2
    @pnuts: I don't think that matters, as the reciprocal agreements apply to residents of the other countries.
    – Greg Hewgill
    Nov 9, 2016 at 8:37

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .