Hi all, just wondering if anyone out there in EF-land could briefly explain how it normally works regarding paying for a midwife?

We've finally found one that speaks English and is available at the right time but she says that it'll cost 120CHF and that this is "Pikettgeld". This may possibly be refunded by the insurance but she is a bit unclear about that, saying that she'll explain how to arrange it with the insurance on her first visit.

I just wondered if anyone else has encountered this? It is probably just her trying to be open about the costs but as I was under the impression that the insurance covered up to 10 visits from the midwife (depending on the length of stay in hospital) I'm a bit confused that she is even mentioning it.

I think that you should ask your insurance company - coverage varies

I actually read about midwives being underpaid a year ago, in the NZZ. The link is down below. Free-lance midwives cost roughly seem to cost 90 - 120 CHF on the pages I have encountered so far. The high figures do derive from the "Pikettdienst", it seems.

Good luck with everything!
Cheerio

http://blog.tagesanzeiger.ch/mamablo...-geburtshilfe/

I believe it will depend on your insurance and what you are exactly using the midwife for. For example, pre-birth classes, home birth, assist in hospital birth, or after birth baby care.

Generally for a hospital birth, the hospital will have its own midwifes in attendance for the birth and others for baby care. This would de facto be covered by your insurance. If for pre-natal classes, some insurance cover this others not. A certain number of after birth baby check-ups by a midwife are generally covered by insurance.

Your insurance will tell you how many visits you can have - it's normally 10 but annoyingly each day you are in hospital is counted! but some midwives can sort of 'fix' things - I was in hospital 6 days but got 7 midwife visits as she was also a qualified lactation specialist so she put some of her visits down as that. You are also supposed to have the days consecutive after leaving hospital - but what use is that! and the midwives generally agree with this so again they kind of 'fix' things so that they can visit every few days.

My midwife sent her bill directly to my insurance and it was all paid.

I am not sure if this is totally correct but a midwife will only be reimbursed from the insurance if they visit a mother within a certain distance from the midwifes home. I tried to see if my midwife could visit a friend of mine but she wasn't able to as it was too far away and would not be covered.

I would give your insurance a quick call - confirm how many visit they cover and the conditions of cover etc... then get back in touch with your midwife explain that your insurance has said they cover x y and z and ask her if that is OK

Are you planning to have a homebirth? Normally, Pikettgeld means the money the midwife gets for the time being on duty/on call before a homebirth. But it would be best if you'd ask your insurance.

If you're planning to give birth in a hospital and to go back home 4to6 hrs after the birth (=ambulante Geburt), the insurance pays 10 visits of the midwife at your home. If you stay in hospital for 4 days, the insurance pays for 6 visits = 10 days of having nurse/midwife-attendance / or 5 days hopital &5 visits of midwife = 10. It should all be covered by the insurance.

If you want to see your midwife before birth (additionally to the visits at your doctor), you'll probably have to pay that visit yourself.

Insurances normally pay part the costs of prenatal classes led by midwifes.

check with your insurance or your doula...she'll be able to tell you whom to ask

That's how my midwife did it as well. I was in the hospital for 5 days, so had 5 visits at home. The midwife came 5 times over the course of 2 weeks or so which was great. I never saw a bill, she took my insurance info on first visit.

A "trick" is to get your doctor in hospital to write that the midwife is medically required ie to make it easier for the insurance to pay. Usually the insurance won't pay if it is just for "support" but there are words that can be used instead for which they will pay out

My midwife cost 90 CHF for each visit (this was just over 1 year ago), which was fully covered by the insurance (I'm on basic insurance, and every day in the hospital was deducted from the 10 visits). I didn't have a note from the doctor to give to my insurance company, though they did provide a note for my midwife outlining how I was doing when I left (I think this is standard practice). I agree that Pikettgeld doesn't apply to you if you're going to a hospital and she's not going to be there at the birth.

There was no "explanation" necessary for billing, I just showed my midwife my insurance card and we filled out a single page together, and I didn't see any bills. I've had two children here, and both times it worked this way!

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Where are we going and what's with this handbasket?

Thought I'd wait until we'd been for the Kantonsspital tour before replying as I suspected we'd probably get more info there too. Basically seems that everything's fine, the midwifes at the hospital all seemed to think everything sounded in order. Many thanks to all who replied!