Although many women are opting for semi-private or public maternity care, they are relying on their health insurance for other benefits
WHILE THE number of women availing of private maternity care may be down in line with the recession, health insurers are, nonetheless, boosting the range of services they offer expectant mothers in an effort to attract largely healthy young women as members.
With maternity consultancy fees costing as much as €5,000 – and private health insurers offering only very limited refunds on this – many women are now forgoing this option in favour of semi-private or public care, but are still using their health insurance cover to avail of other benefits.
But remember, before you start booking baby massage and hypnobirthing classes with your hard-earned cash, be sure to read the small print of your policy first.
At VHI, for example, the reimbursement towards expenses such as baby massage classes may be subject to the overall outpatient excess, while at Quinn Healthcare, its maternity package has a total limit of €385 on its Healthmanager scheme, or €275 on its FamilyCare plan. And at Aviva, some of its benefits, such as breastfeeding consultancy and partner money-back, are subject to waiting periods of 42 weeks.
SO WHAT’S AVAILABLE?
Baby massage classes:Infant massage has become increasingly popular across Ireland, as parents look to avail of its supposed benefits, such as increased communication and reduced colic for the baby, as well as the social outlet it offers the parent.
What you get back:Members of both VHI and Quinn can get €100 back on the cost of such classes, which typically cost €100-€200, while at Aviva, if you are a member of one of its day-to-day schemes, you can get up to 50 per cent of the cost back.
Offered by:VHI, Quinn Healthcare, Aviva Health
Osteopathy: Cranial osteopathy, which involves the gentle manipulation of the skull to relieve stresses experienced by babies during childbirth, has also grown in popularity here. It can help with asthma, colic, recurring infections, sleep and behavioural problems.
What you get back:As part of Quinn's pre- and postnatal package, you can get cover for the cost of visits to a qualified osteopath, while at Aviva, if you are a member of one of its day-to-day schemes, you can get up to 50 per cent of the cost back for eight visits a year.
Offered by: Quinn Healthcare, Aviva Health.
Doula: Doula Ireland provides birth assistants, whose aim is to bring additional emotional and physical support before, during and after childbirth.
What you get back:The Birthing Package offered by members of the association costs €1,200 and if you are a member of Aviva, you can get a €300 discount on this. Moreover, if you forgo the insurer's offer of post-natal home help, you can claim an additional €300 rebate.
Offered by: Aviva Health
Breastfeeding consultancy:For many first-time mothers, breastfeeding can prove anything but natural, which is where the services of a lactation consultant comes in.
What you get back: At Quinn, you can get up to €30 back per visit for two visits, while Aviva offers €25 back per visit, also for two sessions, and VHI also offers this benefit on its Family Plan Plus Levels 1+2.
Offered by:Quinn Healthcare, Aviva Health, VHI
Home help: For anyone – most of all a new mother – the prospect of having someone clean your home several times is a particularly attractive proposition.
What you get back: Aviva Health's Post Natal Home Help service covers the cost of domestic help for up to three days, but you must notify the insurer within 18 weeks of giving birth. It is also subject to availability in your area, although Aviva will give you €120 as an alternative.
Offered by:Aviva Health
Partner benefit:Given the additional expenses that can be incurred around the time of a birth – parking, overnight accommodation for a partner, childcare etc – some insurers offer a simple cash-back on these costs.
What you get back:At Aviva, you can claim up to €50 for such expenses on the day the baby is born, as well as either the day before or the day after.
Offered by:Aviva Health
Scanning:With foetal assessment units in most maternity hospitals under severe pressure – not to mention the additional concerns women may have with regard to the reliability of machines being used following the scandal over the summer – opting for private scans is on the rise.
Many women now opt for public care in hospitals, topped up by scans carried out by private practitioners, and insurers are increasingly meeting this demand.
What you get back: Aviva offers cover for 4D scans at Ultrasound Dimensions in Blackrock, Co Dublin, and InnerVision Ultrasound in Castlebar, Co Mayo, where you can get a detailed scan which includes photos and a DVD.
At VHI, foetal scanning is available as a benefit on some of its Corporate schemes.
Offered by: Aviva Health, VHI
Cord blood stem cell preservation:This involves harvesting blood from your baby's umbilical cord and storing it for potential future use to treat diseases such as leukaemia, Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and a range of other diseases and cancers. The cells can be stored for up to 20 years.
What you get back:It is provided by Medicare Health Living Limited, and costs €2,450 for a single child or identical twins. Aviva will make a contribution of €600 towards this.
Offered by: Aviva Health
Extras:In addition to the above, insurers also offer a host of other pre- and postnatal services, depending on your plan.
What you get back: As part of Quinn's maternity package, which offers refunds on up to €750 of expenses, you can get up to €39 back on the cost of a maternity bra, as well as cover for GP fees, a visit to the dentist and physiotherapy fees, provided the expenses are incurred in the two months before, and three months after, the birth of your child.
At VHI, a member of its Family Plan Plus Levels 1+2 can get cover for the cost of an antenatal day course, if you decide to pursue this option rather than attend the courses in your local maternity hospital, while there is also a rebate of up to €75 on the cost of a visit to a paediatrician, provided it takes place in the first year of birth. The insurer also offers a midwife-supported pregnancy support telephone service.
For a pre- or postnatal treat, Aviva offers a 15 per cent discount for treatments at Umamma, a holistic sanctuary in Co Wicklow. Also, most insurers provide free cover for your new baby in the year they are born.
