Lighting The Way To Better Birth
Submitted by Nic Edmondstone on Mon, 02/07/2007 - 22:30.
The modern maternity care system is in disarray... with overservicing, high intervention, and high cost.
Midwives, working alongside the women they serve, will light the way to better birth.
Reply for Kelly
Hi Kelly
Yes Medicare does not cover midwifery care in Australia (ie women cannot choose a midwife to care for them in any setting through the public health system). Women can only choose a GP or a Specialist Obstetrician to care for them.
Private health insurance is a virtual monopoly. Very few funds cover the cost of a midwife and yet they will pay many thousands for a Dr. Considering every Australian taxpayer funds the 30% private health insurance rebate and that childbirth is the most important reason for hospitalisation this accounts for HUGE sums of money. At the same time care has not improved, outcomes are worse.
The only way a woman can choose a midwife to be their carer (except for a very small number of public midwifery programs) is privately, with no rebate.
In New Zealand women direct a payment to the carer of their choice - GP, Obstetrician or midwife (80% of NZ women choose a midwife).