I am debating whether or not to commit to a medical insurance plan which covers some pediatric expenses for newborns. Question to the experienced mums -- how much do we generally expect to spend on medical services (including vaccinations, regular doctor visits) for the baby in the first year?
Medical Expenses - First Year
- Thread starter snuggles
- Start date
carang
Registered User
let's see...
i've spent nothing on vaccinations... i go the gov't clinic and have done for both of my kids.
i've only gone to the doctor twice for my 7 month old....once for very bad nappy rash and once for a bad cold she caught from her older brother.
my son, 2yr 7 m, has gone to the doctor every time he has had a cold. he is prone to ear infections. however, he didn't get his first cold until he was more than a year old.
i considered getting full-on medical coverage(insurance) for my kids but decided against it because in order for it to cost less, i'd have to take my kids to the doctor something like 20 times per year!
just my experience though!
i've spent nothing on vaccinations... i go the gov't clinic and have done for both of my kids.
i've only gone to the doctor twice for my 7 month old....once for very bad nappy rash and once for a bad cold she caught from her older brother.
my son, 2yr 7 m, has gone to the doctor every time he has had a cold. he is prone to ear infections. however, he didn't get his first cold until he was more than a year old.
i considered getting full-on medical coverage(insurance) for my kids but decided against it because in order for it to cost less, i'd have to take my kids to the doctor something like 20 times per year!
just my experience though!
the canossa package is around 3-4K for the first 1.5 years. that should covers all required vaccinations. and then on top of that, we've been to the doctor quite a few times, i'd say around 8 times the first year (our doc is around $450 each time). of course each kid is different, and some go a lot less than we do, and being the first year, we're always more nervous and go to the doctor a bit more than it's really necessary.
however, one thing to consider is if you want to take the private route in case of emergencies and hospitilization, i'd think it'd be worth the insurance, but in some cases, i think hospitilization and outpatient might be under different plans.
however, one thing to consider is if you want to take the private route in case of emergencies and hospitilization, i'd think it'd be worth the insurance, but in some cases, i think hospitilization and outpatient might be under different plans.
our medical insurance does not cover vaccinations which is the only thing we ever paid for. I can't keep track, probably around $3000? We are first time parents so we go to the doctor for every little thing. Each visit would have costed around $200. Baby has eczema and we see a dermatologist, that would have been another $400 per visit. One time he had reaction to egg at night and we had to call a doctor for emergency visit. That one visit would have costed us over $2000 if we didn't have insurance.
i agree with carang, i've actually looked into outpatient coverage a few months ago. and my estimate is that you'd be about breaking even at best (or worse) with those plans, you'd actually hope you don't use it at all coz your child's never sick!! same with the canossa plan, i think you just about break even with the vaccinations and all, and the insurance plans generally does not even cover vaccinations.
Bub's insurance coverage has been met by our recent hospital stay alone! Not even including pediatric bills for regular out-patient consultations. I'm uber anal though when it comes to being prepared for bub's health. So, even if it didn't even out, I'd still have insurance for bub. As long as you can afford it, and it's not a strain on personal family finances, I'd say give it a go. Stressing once again... UBER ANAL mother when it comes to this. 
carang
Registered User
BUT if you didn't have insurance you can still use the public system for almost FREE!!! there's absolutely NOTHING wrong with the public system as a matter of fact, if there were major problems, the baby might be better off in the public system...they just dont' have the creature comforts is all
We are very fortunate to have company insurance that covers in and out patient for us and our baby.
Each time we go for an injection for baby it costs around $1000 ($400 consultation fee for Dr and the rest for the vaccination).
He's now 11 months and has had 3 vaccination visits- would have to check his book.
Then around 12 months will have 3 more- MMR, chicken pox and flu.
He's been to Dr for a croup (around $600 w/medicine) and hand, foot and mouth ($400, no medicine).
We have been to well baby clinic, around $100 each time (4 visits since he was born)>
Yes it is true you can go to the govt. clinics but they aren't easy to get to. Our private Dr is right here in DB and takes seconds to get to; to go the govt. clinic I'd have to get on the bus and walk- not much fun with a sick child. It's just a lot more convienient. Plus you can call them 24 hrs, if you go the public route you would have to take them to A&E to see a Dr which for us would mean a journey on the ferry and then in a taxi- also not much fun with a sick child.
I have also heard- and this is just a rumour- that the govt. clinics use the cheapest form of each vaccination available and so your child is more likely to have a reaction to it....again, this is just a rumour and may not be true.
Personally I think it can be worrying enough having a sick child without having to deal with the long waits, language and communication problems you get in a govt. clinic/hospital.
I know the medical care in both is usuaully excellent, but if you can afford private I would always say take it- excellent service and comfort counts for a lot if you or your child are sick.
Each time we go for an injection for baby it costs around $1000 ($400 consultation fee for Dr and the rest for the vaccination).
He's now 11 months and has had 3 vaccination visits- would have to check his book.
Then around 12 months will have 3 more- MMR, chicken pox and flu.
He's been to Dr for a croup (around $600 w/medicine) and hand, foot and mouth ($400, no medicine).
We have been to well baby clinic, around $100 each time (4 visits since he was born)>
Yes it is true you can go to the govt. clinics but they aren't easy to get to. Our private Dr is right here in DB and takes seconds to get to; to go the govt. clinic I'd have to get on the bus and walk- not much fun with a sick child. It's just a lot more convienient. Plus you can call them 24 hrs, if you go the public route you would have to take them to A&E to see a Dr which for us would mean a journey on the ferry and then in a taxi- also not much fun with a sick child.
I have also heard- and this is just a rumour- that the govt. clinics use the cheapest form of each vaccination available and so your child is more likely to have a reaction to it....again, this is just a rumour and may not be true.
Personally I think it can be worrying enough having a sick child without having to deal with the long waits, language and communication problems you get in a govt. clinic/hospital.
I know the medical care in both is usuaully excellent, but if you can afford private I would always say take it- excellent service and comfort counts for a lot if you or your child are sick.
carang
Registered User
hey beky... if you've got cover, by all means, go private, i would...however, full coverage is VERY expensive. and not all of us can afford it. that's where gov't clinics come in handy.
ps. i've never had a problem with communication at a gov't clinic. i've now used both, tung chung and tseung kwan o...but you're right the wait is interminable!
ps. i've never had a problem with communication at a gov't clinic. i've now used both, tung chung and tseung kwan o...but you're right the wait is interminable!
Hi Cara- yes I know how fortunate we are to have private cover provided by the company. And I realise many people use the govt. system and are very happy with it.
My experiences with the govt. system have been mixed....(I haven't always had full cover, my Father was a civil servant and we were expected to use the govt. system which we did for a little while!) and a lot varies from hospital to hospital, and Doctor to Doctor.
My experiences with the govt. system have been mixed....(I haven't always had full cover, my Father was a civil servant and we were expected to use the govt. system which we did for a little while!) and a lot varies from hospital to hospital, and Doctor to Doctor.
Hospital Insurance
Hello,
I just want to share my recent decision that pay a Hospital coverage for my baby boy (at 1.5 years old). In fact, Both my husband and myself work as employees and with good medical insurance covered for whole family members by employers. But finally I still brought a Hospital coverage (minimum level) for my son at my own cost. This is because there is "pre-existing" term that may prevent my child being covered for sickness included in future. For example, if my child confirmed a sickness (major) in 2007 Sep. My husband changes job (employer) in 2007 Oct, new employer provides coverage for my husband and family. But the sickness included before (called pre-existing) may be excluded--> no covered under provision of new company insurance coverage. So I make up my mind to pay few hundred HKD a month (hospital benefit only) to protect my child.
For out-patient, I think the cost is not major, so I just leave it.
Not worth to extra buy, as it has covered by employers medical insurance benefit.
Hello,
I just want to share my recent decision that pay a Hospital coverage for my baby boy (at 1.5 years old). In fact, Both my husband and myself work as employees and with good medical insurance covered for whole family members by employers. But finally I still brought a Hospital coverage (minimum level) for my son at my own cost. This is because there is "pre-existing" term that may prevent my child being covered for sickness included in future. For example, if my child confirmed a sickness (major) in 2007 Sep. My husband changes job (employer) in 2007 Oct, new employer provides coverage for my husband and family. But the sickness included before (called pre-existing) may be excluded--> no covered under provision of new company insurance coverage. So I make up my mind to pay few hundred HKD a month (hospital benefit only) to protect my child.
For out-patient, I think the cost is not major, so I just leave it.
Not worth to extra buy, as it has covered by employers medical insurance benefit.