Australia - Having baby with Thai wife/defacto covered by Medicare?

[bbi1]

If an Aussie citizen (male) goes back home with their Thai wife/defacto to have their baby, will everything be covered by Medicare when giving birth at a public hospital? I'm thinking that it may not because it's the woman that is in the hospital and she's not an Aussie citizen even though the baby belongs to the male Aussie citizen. Does anyone know as I can't seem to find anything via Google. What about for other citizens of other Western countries of a male?

[DavisH]

I think she would not be covered. She can give birth in Thailand and you can get the baby Ausytalian citizenship by descent, if that is your concern. 

[Salerno]

Unless she has PR (or applying for PR), which she doesn't from the sound of it, then no.

[Goinghomesoon]

While your wife wouldn't be covered, the baby would be, if he or she required any specialist care after the birth.  

[bbi1]

14 hours ago, Salerno said:

Unless she has PR (or applying for PR), which she doesn't from the sound of it, then no.

So as far as a de facto relationship or a wife applies for PR then they can use Medicare to have the baby in a public hospital without any added cost? Is it considered "applied" since the 1st day the application form is lodged?

[bbi1]

12 hours ago, Goinghomesoon said:

While your wife wouldn't be covered, the baby would be, if he or she required any specialist care after the birth.  

Does anyone know roughly the costs to have a birth in a public hospital if not covered?

[ThaiBunny]

From zero to $1,500 - see this story https://www.news.com.au/finance/money/costs/when-it-comes-to-childbirth-is-private-health-insurance-really-worth-it/news-story/877be7623b62515f9641a898448c0e1c

[jaiyen]

Why don't you contact a Medicare centre and ask them ?  Will get the right answer then !

[PatOngo]

On 8/25/2019 at 10:54 PM, DavisH said:

I think she would not be covered. She can give birth in Thailand and you can get the baby Ausytalian citizenship by descent, if that is your concern. 

Correct, did that for my kids way back, they both got Medicare cards when they studied in Australia.

[Will27]

The OP seems concerned about the cost, and applying for PR is around $8000

plus extra's, so I don't see that as an option.

[emptypockets]

What is the wife's visa status.  If you have applied for a prospective spouse visa you might get lucky. But I don't hold out a lot of hope if she is just on a tourist visa.  Might not even be able to travel if she is in the third trimester. 

Edited August 27, 2019 by emptypockets

[emptypockets]

18 hours ago, ThaiBunny said:

From zero to $1,500 - see this story https://www.news.com.au/finance/money/costs/when-it-comes-to-childbirth-is-private-health-insurance-really-worth-it/news-story/877be7623b62515f9641a898448c0e1c

If she has a medicare card. If not then you are looking at $7000 or $14000 for a Caesarean. ++ for any extras. 

Have the baby in Thailand mate,  they know what they are doing. 

Edited August 27, 2019 by emptypockets

[Will27]

5 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

What is the wife's visa status.  Ic you have applied for a prospective spouse visa you might get lucky. But I don't hold out a lot of hope if she is just on a tourist visa.  Might not even be able to travel if she is in the third trimester. 

Judging by his previous posts, more than likely be on a tourist visa.

[owenm]

1 hour ago, Will27 said:

The OP seems concerned about the cost, and applying for PR is around $8000

plus extra's, so I don't see that as an option.

When applying for a spouse/defacto visa, the cost has increased to around AUD 8k, previously almost 50% cheaper..

 

Aust government processing and approval of visa can be 6-18 mths currently due to many documented cases of relationships of convenience to gain PR then citizenship..

 

Then apply for temporary Medicare card until PR is approved after approx 2 years. With Medicare, like all private health funds, there are waiting times for many procedures, including I'm sure, child birth.. 

 

This could work out for you if planning pregnancy in 2-3 yrs time, but not while the bun is still in the oven.. 

[reargunnerph3]

My brothers defacto wife is in Australia and is having a baby soon, she has applied for Permanent Residence over 20 months ago and so far all x-rays and blood tests etc have been free. 

[4MyEgo]

1 hour ago, emptypockets said:

If she has a medicare card. If not then you are looking at $7000 or $14000 for a Caesarean. ++ for any extras. 

Have the baby in Thailand mate,  they know what they are doing. 

 

If she's already pregnant, perhaps a private hospital here, sister-in-laws x farang boyfriend paid 40,000 baht 5 years ago for a Caesarian, don't know what a natural birth would cost, but worth enquiring.

 

Personally I wouldn't want my wife having a baby in Thailand, although she had twins from a previous relationship in a public Bangkok Hospital before my time and survived, so I suppose each to their own ????

 

The reason I say that I wouldn't want my wife having a baby in Thailand as selfish as it sounds, is because I would hate to think what could have happened if she had our last child in Thailand and not Oz.

 

When she gave birth to our last child in Oz, she started hemorrhaging as soon as one of the midwives/nurses gently removed the placenta.

 

It didn't go according to plan and wasn't a pleasant sight to see, i.e. all of that blood coming out and when I say ALL of that blood coming out, I mean a hell of a lot of blood, she lost a fair few litres of it, but within seconds of one of the three midwives/nurses opening those doors and yelling out something, the room was full with about 20 people working in sync, drips, needles, asking questions like do you have any crowns, are you allergic to anything, etc etc, and constantly reassuring her that everything would be alright, they all knew exactly what they were doing, the head of the team was right in there trying to plug the leak/s, sorry, but that's the only way I know how to describe it, and on the portable phone at the same time being held by someone else while she kept it up, talking to someone in surgery getting my wife ready to take my wife into the theatre if she couldn't plug the leak/s, but then, she yelled out, all and good guys, job well done team, claps all around, it was a desperate situation and I felt so helpless sitting down with the bub watching this all unfold, my wife knew something was up, but was relaxed and said must have been the stuff in the mask they put on her face.

 

About 10 minutes later the big guy in surgeons gear comes in to check to see if all went well and asking questions with the staff, and naturally we were very grateful for their professionalism in saving my wife, "what an experience" the thoughts running through my mind, single dad with 4 kids....Harbour Bridge ????

 

I don't want to appear negative, but I have been misdiagnosed here in the public hospital system on a number of things and so have many where we live, the Dr's appear as they just got out of school and have a hell of a lot of people to see, a bit like a cattle station and you can wait for hours.

 

Sister-in-law had her bub a year ago in the same public hospital, all and good, but unless its a private hospital for my wife here, I wouldn't even think about it, but that's just me, call me a snob, I don't mind, as for Oz, all day everyday public hospitals, like I said, each to their own.

 

Note: Just in case anyone wants to know if we will having any more bubs, yeh, in our next lives, it will be by Caesarian because I am not going through that again !

 

Good luck

Edited August 27, 2019 by 4MyEgo

[4MyEgo]

20 hours ago, bbi1 said:

So as far as a de facto relationship or a wife applies for PR then they can use Medicare to have the baby in a public hospital without any added cost? Is it considered "applied" since the 1st day the application form is lodged?

I believe she can enrol for Medicare once she lodges her application for Permanent Residency, see link attached and sub-links within:

 

https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/subjects/how-enrol-and-get-started-medicare/enrolling-medicare#whocan

[MAF666]

Nothing wrong with C section birth in Bangkok. My son was born C section in the public hospital in Nakhorn Pathom 12 years ago. Excellent experience. Cost THB1100.

Once you have applied for an Oz PR you will get a blue medicare card, which gives you all the entitlements of a regular green medicare card.

When they are granted PR status, they will be issued the regular green medicare card.

Should you not be applying for Oz PR you will be charged full cost.

If you are not going the PR route, best to stay in Thailand for the birth.

[wavodavo]

2 hours ago, emptypockets said:

What is the wife's visa status.  If you have applied for a prospective spouse visa you might get lucky. But I don't hold out a lot of hope if she is just on a tourist visa.  Might not even be able to travel if she is in the third trimester. 

Thats right , you must have had to have applied for a spouse visa or pr visa .On a tourist visa ..no medicare.You would have to buy private cover.This  can be done online.

[bbi1]

1 hour ago, reargunnerph3 said:

My brothers defacto wife is in Australia and is having a baby soon, she has applied for Permanent Residence over 20 months ago and so far all x-rays and blood tests etc have been free. 

What was the process for your brother? Did your brother's defacto wife apply for a tourist visa 1st then get her to apply for permanent residence, or can the permanent residence be applied for while still living in Thailand?

 

All these questions are for planning for the future, probably in 1 year's time.

[bbi1]

12 minutes ago, wavodavo said:

Thats right , you must have had to have applied for a spouse visa or pr visa .On a tourist visa ..no medicare.You would have to buy private cover.This  can be done online.

It says you can get a Medicare Card when you apply for Medicare, which you can do when applying for permanent residency. What happens if someone gets a Medicare Card and uses it but their PR is denied for whatever reason?

Edited August 27, 2019 by bbi1

[wavodavo]

1 minute ago, bbi1 said:

It says you can get a Medicare Card when you apply for Medicare, which you can do when applying for permanent residency. What happens if someone gets a Medicare Card and uses it but their PR is denied for whatever reason?

Well He will just have to pray that the baby arrives ..before the visa decision.

[RJRS1301]

23 minutes ago, wavodavo said:

Thats right , you must have had to have applied for a spouse visa or pr visa .On a tourist visa ..no medicare.You would have to buy private cover.This  can be done online.

Waiting period for pregnancy, and since already pregnant, would not be covered

This is because a 12-month waiting period applies to pregnancy and birth (including childbirth)

[ThaiBunny]

16 minutes ago, bbi1 said:

It says you can get a Medicare Card when you apply for Medicare, which you can do when applying for permanent residency. What happens if someone gets a Medicare Card and uses it but their PR is denied for whatever reason?

They don't ask for a refund!

[DJ54]

2 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

When she gave birth to our last child in Oz, she started hemorrhaging as

That’s difficult to read and can’t imagine how you and

your wife felt.. glad everything turned for the best...

[4MyEgo]

15 minutes ago, DJ54 said:

That’s difficult to read and can’t imagine how you and

your wife felt.. glad everything turned for the best...

All and good now, the bub is a 5 year female old firecracker now ????

 

[bbi1]

On 8/25/2019 at 10:54 PM, DavisH said:

I think she would not be covered. She can give birth in Thailand and you can get the baby Ausytalian citizenship by descent, if that is your concern. 

Is it an easy process to register the baby as an Aussie citizen by descent in Thailand at the Aussie Embassy and get the baby an Aussie passport? What type of things will they require and roughly how long does it take?

[hatewaitin]

If she has a bridge A visa she has entitlement to medicare. 

However when you bring your spouse on this or any visa you are required to provide private health cover. 

Part of an application for PR requires proof that private health cover was issued on every period that she come to Australia. 

Hope that answers your question. 

[gimo]

      You;re correct to say your medicare card won't cover it . It's the mother that counts .My son was born in Sydney 7 years ago . We had an application in for long term visa ( forget the title ). Wife had no medicare at  that time , however despite the fact that I only  had $1,000 to give them , my Thai wife was able to give birth in RNHS . Months later , when her medicare care card came through  ( still no PR yet ) they took the fees off that and refunded my $1,000 . 

[simple1]

14 hours ago, bbi1 said:

Is it an easy process to register the baby as an Aussie citizen by descent in Thailand at the Aussie Embassy and get the baby an Aussie passport? What type of things will they require and roughly how long does it take?

You have access to the internet so go to...

 

https://thailand.embassy.gov.au/files/bkok/ENG - Australian Citizenship by Descent - Application Checklist.pdf

 

For current processing timelines call the Embassy.

Edited August 27, 2019 by simple1