Advise Needed - Queen Mary vs. Maltida with No Insurance
- Thread starter jwc209
- Start date
carang
Registered User
sometimes, i feel that those who went to places like matilda look down on those of us who didn't... so, i tend to get a little defensive about it. if i'd had insurance, i'm sure i would have made use of it. we didn't. neither are we here on a big "expat" salary. i married a local who grew up in gov't housing...so money IS an issue for us... and a very important one.
maybe to console myself with having to make-do with the public system, i, myself dismissed Matilda as a lot of very expensive window dressing.
either way, i still have two happy & healthy children. and while my pregnancies (and first delivery) read like something from a horror story, i can't blame the public system for it... they delivered my two greatest achievements and kept me from having a stroke/heart attack during delivery.
maybe to console myself with having to make-do with the public system, i, myself dismissed Matilda as a lot of very expensive window dressing.
either way, i still have two happy & healthy children. and while my pregnancies (and first delivery) read like something from a horror story, i can't blame the public system for it... they delivered my two greatest achievements and kept me from having a stroke/heart attack during delivery.
Just wanted to second on Blessed experience at QMH. I also went private at QMH and had a great experience with almost all benefits as a private hospital. Got guaranteed a private or semi-private room, access to expertise for complicated cases, one doctor handling everything, hubby had the choice to stay the night, someone ready at push of a button, nurses to help with BF, baby rooming in but could stay at nurses station as well if I needed rest, visiting hours are longer compared to public ward. When you check in you have to pay a deposit of 100K, I think my bill ended up being a little above 50K (induced vaginal birth, with forceps, 1st class room for 4 nights), but I'm not 100% sure since they send the bill directly to the insurance company.
I had a private room at Matilda. Everyone went great during the delivery and after. The midwives taught me so much about how to look after the baby and of course, I think I had the best obgyn in hk. I had the best view from my balcony too ... Having said all at, the 5 day "spa" experience came to 170k... Even the tv was a nice flat screen. Food was good and I bet the nurses would've given me a foot massage if I had asked for one. They looked my little one v well.
My friend delivered at qmh on the private stream. She had a good delivery and mother and lil one were both well looked after. I think she paid a third of what I did. If wasn't on full coverage insurance, there was no way I would have forked out that much monkey for maltida, I would rather have used it on a few years' worth of vacation
My friend delivered at qmh on the private stream. She had a good delivery and mother and lil one were both well looked after. I think she paid a third of what I did. If wasn't on full coverage insurance, there was no way I would have forked out that much monkey for maltida, I would rather have used it on a few years' worth of vacation
carang
Registered User
wah! i didn't know that there was insurance out there that would cover $170k! then again, i never imagined it could cost that much @ matilda!
may i ask if you paid the insurance premiums or if it was your employing company?
hmm....i think i am going to dream about such service when i go to bed tonight! LOL!
ps> for 170K they darn well better have brought you tea when you buzzed!
may i ask if you paid the insurance premiums or if it was your employing company?
hmm....i think i am going to dream about such service when i go to bed tonight! LOL!
ps> for 170K they darn well better have brought you tea when you buzzed!
howardcoombs
Registered User
I cant comment on company insurance, but you can get personal insurance that will cover the 170K.
Last I checked (a couple of years ago), PPP AXA Gold costs around 5000GBP per year (around 60,000 HKD) and will cover maternity after 18 month wait.
Last I checked (a couple of years ago), PPP AXA Gold costs around 5000GBP per year (around 60,000 HKD) and will cover maternity after 18 month wait.
howardcoombs
Registered User
*smile*
insurance companies are not there to lose money
*smile*
PPP Gold is one of the best ones around. It certainly is expensive, but its coverage is practically limitless. Anything, anytime, any doctor for very long lengths of time.
insurance companies are not there to lose money
*smile*
PPP Gold is one of the best ones around. It certainly is expensive, but its coverage is practically limitless. Anything, anytime, any doctor for very long lengths of time.
TheQuasimother
Registered User
Cara - I always appreciate your candour. And, it is extremely refreshing as there are many of us who aren't covered by insurance paid for by employers! So keep it up! But, your perception is so wrong though. I don't know any mum who would smugly look down upon anyone who didn't deliver at Matilda, that's just downright silly and arrogant! I'm always amused by such expats who do put up such pretenses! It's almost as if they've forgotten their regular Joe/Jane existence in life back home! Here, they are royalty but back home, their just regular Janes/Joes! LOL!
There are insurers out there who will cover most of Matilda's bills as long as you are not opting for the single room. I would rather go home and deliver than deliver in HK, especially with a complicated pregnancy. Just wanted to add, about insurers, I was covered partially for Matilda for a regular pregnancy but the minute I was considered complicated, there was a part of the pregnancy when the doctor was worried that I had placenta previa, the entire pregnancy would have been covered in full! So in all honesty, in my case, I was NOT worried at all about the hospital bill.
Also, had I not had insurance coverage in HK that allowed me to deliver privately or I did not have the money for a private delivery, complicated or otherwise, I'd not have had my second bub in HK. There is no bloody way, after a beautiful birth experience for the first one, which did get complicated as he was coming out, I would have used the public system in HK, which is probably adequate enough given that many use it.
Birth is a beautiful experience and an amazing experience. For me, it was something I wanted to control in terms of experience. So the money I paid, on top of insurance, was money well spent. And really, if you can afford it, Matilda, is an experience!
There are insurers out there who will cover most of Matilda's bills as long as you are not opting for the single room. I would rather go home and deliver than deliver in HK, especially with a complicated pregnancy. Just wanted to add, about insurers, I was covered partially for Matilda for a regular pregnancy but the minute I was considered complicated, there was a part of the pregnancy when the doctor was worried that I had placenta previa, the entire pregnancy would have been covered in full! So in all honesty, in my case, I was NOT worried at all about the hospital bill.
Also, had I not had insurance coverage in HK that allowed me to deliver privately or I did not have the money for a private delivery, complicated or otherwise, I'd not have had my second bub in HK. There is no bloody way, after a beautiful birth experience for the first one, which did get complicated as he was coming out, I would have used the public system in HK, which is probably adequate enough given that many use it.
Birth is a beautiful experience and an amazing experience. For me, it was something I wanted to control in terms of experience. So the money I paid, on top of insurance, was money well spent. And really, if you can afford it, Matilda, is an experience!