# Maternity Insurance



## Joclarke (Jun 16, 2011)

Hi, I really need some help please! My partner has accepted a transfer with work to South Africa and we go in January. However, I have just found out that I am pregnant which although is fantastic news I have also just found out that there is a waiting period with new health insurance policies. In hindsight it makes sense that there is but that doesn't help my situation! Does anyone know of an expat insurer where this isn't the case or if there is a way that I can still be treated privately even if I don't have cover. Apologies if these sound like stupid questions but I am brand new to the expat thing! Any help will be appreciated!


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## Johanna (Apr 13, 2009)

It is not a stupid question at all.
I do not know of any expat insurer, my suggestion would be for your partner to subscribe a medical aid. Perhaps he should ask his employer about subsidised medical aid?

My opinion is that one needs a decent medical aid and not just a hospital plan.
Google South African medical aids and compare the different ones available.


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## Saartjie (Mar 1, 2010)

Joclarke said:


> Hi, I really need some help please! My partner has accepted a transfer with work to South Africa and we go in January. However, I have just found out that I am pregnant which although is fantastic news I have also just found out that there is a waiting period with new health insurance policies. In hindsight it makes sense that there is but that doesn't help my situation! Does anyone know of an expat insurer where this isn't the case or if there is a way that I can still be treated privately even if I don't have cover. Apologies if these sound like stupid questions but I am brand new to the expat thing! Any help will be appreciated!


Hi there, firstly congratulations, best thing in the world to have a kid (I think at least). I was exactly in your situation. We decided to relocate here and I found out that I was pregnant. We had huge problems with the Medical Aid situation. Although we signed up the minute we knew that I was pregnant, because I was pregnant when we signed up, my pregnancy was excluded from the Medical Aid (pre-existing condition). We spoke to all major Medical Aid providers here at the time and it was the same answer from all of them. Yes there is also the waiting period of 3 months but as I was not covered for the pregnancy anyway it really made no difference. The huge benefit of signing up to the Medical Aid anyway is that you ensure that your child is covered for everything as soon as they are born. That is a must here to ensure that you will get the help that you need should your baby need it. So I would still recommend that you get Medical Aid as soon as possible so that the three months have passed by the time you give birth. My husband works for the same company here that he did in the UK and they use BUPA International as Medical Aid. I am not under this cover myself (its quite expensive to add family to his cover so my daughter and I stayed on the cover we already had) but I think it is very good and they may have different rules when it comes to pregnancy (I have no idea at all but it might be worth speaking to them since they are UK based). 

On the assumption that you are not covered by Medical Aid for your pregnancy you have two options, go privately and pay or use a state hospital. Using a state hospital is usually not recommended here because those hospitals are in general not very nice places and the care provided is not always very good. I however did give birth in a state hospital but in a private ward and it was a very good experience for me (I had a cesarean due to breech position). No complaints at all.

If you decide to go private you can get excellent care but it does come at a price. We were quoted around R40,000 for a natural birth and R50,000 for a cesarean and I think it is pretty much the same now as it was then (a year ago).

Anyway, as I have just gone through this I am happy to answer any other questions that you may have. My daughter is now 1 year old and I have loved every minute with her here in SA.

Hope the above is of help to you.

Saartjie


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## CCSA (Oct 24, 2011)

Congratulations! Definately take out Medical Aid asap so you can get your 3 month waiting period out of the way before you arrive in SA. 

I have a 9 month old and we have a hospital only plan with Discovery Health. I did look into more comprehensive plans but they are extremely expensive and I worked out that we would only benefit if one of use developed a chronic condition that required regular medical intervention.

I would be very surprised if there is a Medical Aid that would cover your pregnancy, however your baby will be covered immedietely. Our baby was in NICU for several weeks and you should have seen how much the bills totalled which Medical Aid paid.

Where in SA are you moving too? The rates which doctors charge here varies dramatically so it is well worthwhile doing some research, not only to find one which comes recommended, but also investigate what they charge. I think there can also be quite a difference in fees between private hospitals too.

Finally, we pay R100 a month for the family for 'Gap Cover'. You will find as a general rule that doctors charge around 3x approved Medical Aid rates so Medical Aid will only pay a third of your bill. This insurance will pay the shortfall should you or your family end up in hospital. So for the birth, they paid the shortfall on the costs of my gynae, anaesthetist, paediatrician etc.

Hope that helps! Good luck!


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