Cost of Matilda & Private Ob/gyn

J

JANE892

Registered User
Ohh dear.
I've just been reading these borads and have seen on one of the threads that it costs something like 100-175k to have a baby here with a private ob/gyn and going to Matilda.
I'm booked in at the Matilda and I have my first Ob/gyn appointment with Dr Phillip Ho (central) on Sat.
My husbands company covers us medically but I think only up to a certain amount (I think it was 18k for birth, 12k for consultation) and thats about it...
Am I really up for that much? I looked at the Matilda website and it said normal delivery and staying in a standard room is $18k and $4.5 for an epidural.
I take it Dr Phillip HO is not cheap...but surely the whole total can't be $100k?
Your information is very much appreciated.
Thanks,
Jane
 
You'd better ask and see if your Dr booked you into a private room or standard room - most Drs assume you want a private room. There are more private rooms at the Matilda than any other room I'm told so the odds of you getting one are better than any other room type. The standard room you'll share with 4 other people. I will be in a private room and it will exceed $100k by far (including the ob/gyn costs) though I'm not sure exactly what the grand total will be. I think you'll find that all private hospitals on the island are about the same price give or take a little bit.
 
Hi,

Semi private room, emergency c-section was just over $100,000 for me.

The room packages sound reasonable enough- but you have to add onto that however much your ob charges for delivery plus however much they charge to come visit you everyday you are in hospital (my Dr charges $1000 a day); plus pedietricians standby fee and their fee to visit baby everyday in hospital; plus anaethetist (if needed for epidural etc.).

It soon adds up!
 
Wow...my husband is going to freak out. I had no idea it was this much! I think we should have stayed in Australia. Ouch.
I'm going to really read up on our insurance tonight...I hope that perhaps the pediatrician can be covered in another part of the insurance cover.
I really wanted to just go into a standard room to keep costs down (I take it you still actually deliver in a private delivery room and then go into a standard room with 4 people to recover and sleep for 3 days afterwards?) but if going into a private room means I've got a better chance of getting a room then I should probably do this...although I've got a booking- so doesn't that confirm it?
Gosh...this is scary & difficult!
 
i had a ob gyn by my choice, with epidural (in-house), no pediatrician to stand by, in private rm, bill was HK$120,000. that hasn't include the monthly check-up with your obgyn (checkup + 4D ultrsound + tests for 10 mths = about $20K). i had 2 insurance packages whcih covered HK$40k, still ouch!
 
yes, I was also delivered by Dr. Phillip Ho at the Matilda. It was about $130,000 in total and Dr. Ho is not cheap(even for regular check-ups and all the tests). But there's a difference between natural delivery and C-section. Probably a $20,000 to 30,000 difference?


JANE892 said:
Ohh dear.
I've just been reading these borads and have seen on one of the threads that it costs something like 100-175k to have a baby here with a private ob/gyn and going to Matilda.
I'm booked in at the Matilda and I have my first Ob/gyn appointment with Dr Phillip Ho (central) on Sat.
My husbands company covers us medically but I think only up to a certain amount (I think it was 18k for birth, 12k for consultation) and thats about it...
Am I really up for that much? I looked at the Matilda website and it said normal delivery and staying in a standard room is $18k and $4.5 for an epidural.
I take it Dr Phillip HO is not cheap...but surely the whole total can't be $100k?
Your information is very much appreciated.
Thanks,
Jane
Click to expand...
 
Hi Jane892,

You might want to consider delivering at a public hospital.
$100,000k is alot for what can amount to not much more than some better meals and a more comfortable room.
We weighed up the pro's and con's last year ( and also considered going back to OZ) and in the end went for private care for antenatal, but went for delivery at Queen Mary.
The total cost for QMH was $250.

The wards were definatley no frills, the meals were very average, but I took some weetbix for breakfast and they were happy to provide milk, and my husband bought lunch and dinner in for me each day.
But in the end the medical care was first rate (in the event of an emergency the private hospitals send you there anyway) and the nurses were lovely.

The downside is you can't choose the doctor that delivers your baby.
I didn't even see a doctor anyway, as my labour was uncomplicated.
The midwives were brilliant and ensured my labour followed my birth plan exactly.

I've also sent you a PM.
 
Mei Mei- did you think Dr Phillip Ho was worth it? I guess I'm happy to pay if I know I'm in very very good hands (this is my first)...I had a better look at my insurance package last night and I think we are only covered up to about $27k for a natural birth and $36k for a c-section (inculding all the prenatal check ups etc). So this is going to hurt financially!!
 
Just delivered last week with Dr Ho,scheduled C-section at the Adventist,semi private rm.Dr Ho is worth every penny in my opinion,very skilled and I did not want just anyone cutting me open.Hospital bills abit over the top for what you get but if you want to choose your doctor thats your only option.If I did it again I would just go for a ward room though.
 
I delivered (my 2nd) at Matilda last March, so I'm about a year out of date on prices. All up it came to HK$76k, which was a normal delivery, epi (paid for but not used), private room. Our insurance didn't cover 100% and we paid the balance from our own funds.

I chose not to go public for a number of reasons:
1. better care - I know medical care is supposed to be great at public hospitals, but other care could be better. It isn't just about the food and the room, it is about having the baby with you, not in the nursery, having your husband with you at all times, helping with breastfeeding, etc.
2. I personally believe that if you can afford to, you should use private health facilities to save the drain on the over crowded, under funded public system.
3. Choice of Dr. - I used Dr Dawkins (an Australian) and he is great.

A lot of women travel back to Australia to give birth if they cannot afford private hospitals here.
 
My delivery total came to HK$86k for hospital fees(5 days) and all specialist fees for a scheduled C-section.This includes my OBGYN prenatal care.
 
I agree jane01, a major downside of the public system was the lack of breastfeeding support. The nurses just don't have the time spend with you if you are having difficulty.
I overcame this by having homevisits with Louise from Annerley midwives.
And it would have been great to have my husband with me more. (Though I think secretly it was lovely to have that private time with just me and the baby!)

These days (at least at QMH) the baby stays with you the whole time.
 
I appreicate eveyones advice very much. I'm sitting on the fence a bit..
I guess my thoughts are;
- Private antenatal (either Dr Phillip Ho or Dr Dawkins). I like the fact that Dr Dawkins is Australian but his consultations are $950 a pop and Dr Ho $800 a pop....does anyone know both docs and would highly recommend one over the other?
- Also...Dr Phillips office has already made a booking at Matilda for me (before I found out how expensive it is!). If I now change to Dr Dawkins am I able to still keep my booking at Matilda that Dr Ho's office made for me?
- If down the track I choose to keep going private for antenatal but then actually deliver at the Queen Mary will the private doc be angry that i'm canceling my Matilda booking
- How do I actually book at the Queen Mary...? Just ring up and say I'm having a baby?
- After reading all these posts about all the hospitals being full etc will I even get a place at Queen Mary (if not I better keep my booking at Matilda and just cough up the cash!).
Anyway..I'm meeting up with some great girls from these boards with great advice...so I'm learning more each day!
Thanks everyone!
Jane
PS. Apparently it's also normal to turn up to your new apartment on "hand over day" and find it has completely not been cleaned (filthy) and your landlord is "uncontactable"...ohh the joys of HK!..sorry off the subject!
 
Hi Jane892,
I think Dr. Ho is very very skillful, esp. with C-section. Do you plan on natural delivery or C-section? In my opinion, he is skillful, but he did not give me much advise on the pregnancy. It depends if you need a very caring doctor. It's a bit of his downside. But he's very close with matilda and adventist, so that will ensure you have a place at these hospitals. You can't go to Queen Mary if you're using these doctors. Not only they will be mad, they will not be able to book you a place there.
also, if you're going to have a C-section, Dr. Ho's anesthesiologist Dr. Yau is sooo excellent. He's very nice and skillful. I did not feel any pain whatsoever, before and after the delivery.
On a second note, Matilda is really excellent. Their midwives are really caring and experience. Lots of breatfeeding support!
Hope this helps.



JANE892 said:
I appreicate eveyones advice very much. I'm sitting on the fence a bit..
I guess my thoughts are;
- Private antenatal (either Dr Phillip Ho or Dr Dawkins). I like the fact that Dr Dawkins is Australian but his consultations are $950 a pop and Dr Ho $800 a pop....does anyone know both docs and would highly recommend one over the other?
- Also...Dr Phillips office has already made a booking at Matilda for me (before I found out how expensive it is!). If I now change to Dr Dawkins am I able to still keep my booking at Matilda that Dr Ho's office made for me?
- If down the track I choose to keep going private for antenatal but then actually deliver at the Queen Mary will the private doc be angry that i'm canceling my Matilda booking
- How do I actually book at the Queen Mary...? Just ring up and say I'm having a baby?
- After reading all these posts about all the hospitals being full etc will I even get a place at Queen Mary (if not I better keep my booking at Matilda and just cough up the cash!).
Anyway..I'm meeting up with some great girls from these boards with great advice...so I'm learning more each day!
Thanks everyone!
Jane
PS. Apparently it's also normal to turn up to your new apartment on "hand over day" and find it has completely not been cleaned (filthy) and your landlord is "uncontactable"...ohh the joys of HK!..sorry off the subject!
Click to expand...
 
Hi, I am giving birth at the Union Hostital in Sha Tin and it's private.

I'm with Dr. Fok ( lovely lady)
Prenatal package: $6,500 ( 12 visits and basic scans)
Twin Room 3 day package for normal delivery: $17,000
Dr Fok delivery fee: around $15,000 maybe less
Epidural ( better budget in case..) $8,000?
Pediatrician if needed est. up to $8,000

Total is $54,500.

Depends where you live but it's not too far by MTR if you are from the Isalnd. I live in SaiKung so handy for me.

Private room is much more expensive as they have just built a new ward and you need to pay a bigger package ( $27,000 for natural delivery) PLUS room charges so total will then easily exceed $100,000These Private rooms start at $2,300 per day and there is only one at this price,the rest ar more expensive.
 
I just had an elective c section (5 nights) at the Matilda and the final bill for everything, not including prenatal visits, was $115,000. This included my husbands meals for 6 days, pediatrician, anesthesiologist, vaccinations, my drugs, wireless internet, and ob/gyn. Ob/gyn was expensive but I have a VERY small incision and a big baby so worth it. The Matilda was honestly worth every penny and I'd spend it again.
 
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woodk6 - was your c-section elective ? I am likely loooking at having mine on a Sunday (in Maltilda) and I hear this would be considered an emergency and therefore priced as such. Not sure how much more this would set me back?
 
SaiKungGirl
You wrote that Dr Fok is a 'lovely lady'. Could you tell me more about your experience with her? I'm desperately looking for a new female Ob/Gyn in the Shatin area. I have an appointment with Dr Linna Liauw in 2 weeks' time, but not heard of anyone visiting her. After an unpleasant experience with my last female Ob/Gyn, I'd love to know who else is around :doctor:
Many thanks for your advice!
 
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