[vegemite_kid]

Does anyone know of an insurance company that will cover a caesarean birth (can you book one with the public system if you don't have insurance?)? Do you need to have your dependant visa through before getting insurance as mine may not be ready in time (it took four months last time we lived in HK - that was 6 years ago though)!

It looks as though we will be moving to HK in late October and I am due in late January 07. Problem is we have premium hospital insurance and cover for the birth and family in Australia but they do not cover OS! Has anyone else been in this situation? What did you do and how was the outcome?

I have read lots of threads here and have tried to read the insurance requirements on websites but they are in legal English and I am getting nowhere!

[carang]

as soon as you have our HKID (once you have your visa, you can get it same afternoon) then you are covered and can get away with paying next to nothing at a public hospital.

i don't think that you can "book" an elective c-section with a public hospital though...don't quote me on that though!

[bekyboo44]

Also most insurance companies won't cover you for maternity once you are pregnant- most seem to have a waiting period for which you must be covered under the insurance before you get pregnant.
It's probably worth contacting the insurance companies direct.
I don't know a lot about the public system, but a friend that went through the public system was unable to 'book' a c-section. She was told she would only have a c-section if medical reasons made it possible.

[vegemite_kid]

Thanks. I have to have a c-section as it is not advised (or they won't allow - not sure) because when I gave birth to my first child I had a c-section. So I guess that makes that easier. Now if only I could find an insurer that will take on board our insurance history and let me "switch" medical insurance to them!! I'm not givng up yet. Worst case... I can fly back at 35 weeks (looks like most airlines will allow) and have here - on my own with hubby and daughter back in HK :(

[carang]

you still may not be able to "book" a c-section as many women have VBAC's now.

[Kylie]

Hi Ozexpat,
Wow we were exactly the same, so infact decided to stay in Sydney until bubs is born, which is in three weeks. I also have to have a c-section and it was going to cost thousands in HK as apossed to being fully covered privatly here. When we looked into it medical insurance would not cover us up there as we were already preggers and I really prefered to go into the private system. We are now covered by my husbands company in Hong Kong but for the next baby not this one. We are moving to HK 4 weeks after bubs is born. I wish you luck with it all.