Pregnancy and your OSHC
Having a baby is one of life’s biggest journeys and at CBHS International Health we’re here to help you with your health and wellbeing during pregnancy and birth.
In Australia, pregnancy care is provided by obstetricians or midwives, who are specialised in managing the care of the pending mother and unborn baby. These services can be very expensive within Australia. As soon as you know you are pregnant, contact us immediately so we can assist you in receiving the best care possible.
It’s important that you contact us as soon as you become pregnant so that we can give you information about programs and services that are available to you as an OSHC member. This includes:
- Locating a doctor or obstetrician participating in our Access Gap Cover (AGC) scheme
- Finding a contracted private hospital close to you
- Enrolling you in a pregnancy program providing information about pregnancy, birth, and mother and baby health.
CBHS International has partnered with Remedy Healthcare to provide you free^ access to the Bump to Baby program. Bump to Baby offers an understanding and reassuring voice that provides expertise and support from pregnancy, right through to the first year of your child’s life.
As an expectant or new parent, you can face a range of challenges – physical, mental, and social – during pregnancy and on the journey to parenthood. While support and information are available in the wider community, it can often be overwhelming working out which source of information is best for you and your family.
*Refer to your level of health cover for eligibility, service limits, benefits, and any applicable waiting periods. ^FREE means $0 out-of-pocket costs for eligible members. OVHC Base Hospital members are not eligible. Non-eligible members can access these services but will have to pay the fee and can’t make a claim.
A waiting period is the period between the date your cover becomes effective and the time you need to serve before you're eligible for that procedure or service. During this time no benefit is payable for procedures or services that have a waiting period.
If you try to claim on items such as pregnancy when you haven't served the 12 month waiting period, you'll need to be aware that you'll incur significant up-front and additional out-of-pocket costs. These costs are an average $16,000 depending on the level of maternity service / care provided. During a waiting period, these costs are your responsibility because they're not yet covered by your OSHC policy.
In all instances, you'll need to notify us on 1300 174 538 as soon as possible so we can help you find lower cost options and pre-natal programs.
If you have served your waiting period, contacted CBHS International Health and you are booked at one of our contracted private hospitals, your costs will be minimised. We partner with health care practitioners, service providers and hospitals that provide the best care with the lowest out-of-pocket costs.
CBHS International Health holds agreements with an extensive range of Australian private hospitals and day surgeries (agreement hospitals). These agreements ensure hospital fees including bed, theatre, labour ward and intensive care fees are covered when you are admitted as a patient to hospital, up to any relevant service limit.
Using a doctor or obstetrician at a non-agreement hospital, can result in large out-of-pocket costs. You'll only receive benefits similar to a public hospital shared room rate which can result in substantial out-of-pocket expenses.
Therefore, you need to contact us as soon as possible so we can guide you on how to reduce, if not eliminate, out-of-pocket expenses for doctor or obstetrician and hospital fees.
If you are on a Single or Couples CBHS International OSHC Policy, your newborn baby will be able to be added with effect from their date of birth without your baby having to serve any waiting periods already served by you, provided that:
✔ You inform us during your first trimester so that we can give you access to our online childbirth education and information about pregnancy programs.
✔ You update to a family or sole parent policy one month prior to birth. However, we recommend updating your policy three months before the expected birth date in case your baby decides to arrive early. If you do not update your policy to include your child prior to birth, your child will need to serve a two-month waiting period before they are eligible for benefits.
