Pregnancy ultrasound

[auspreg]

This is my second pregnancy, but first one since obtaining Medicare. I have really appreciated not having to pay an arm and a leg for the million blood tests, and am grateful for some rebate from gp appointments.

My question is with regards to pregnancy ultrasounds. Are these covered by Medicare? Everything I see online just seems to say Medicare may cover the cost of pregnancy ultrasounds.. I had my dating scan recently and paid $145.

Anyone here have any experience with this? Like I've said, I'm already super grateful for the help Medicare is providing, so it's not a big deal either way, just curious if I am navigating things correctly.

Sorry I don’t know the answer but you could phone the ultrasound place and they will tell you exact costs and how much you get back.

No ultrasounds generally aren't covered, at least not the usual 12 & 20 week scans.

They only time they're free is if, say, you're already in a public hospital for a pregnancy complication (I had a couple) and then they'll do them under their auspices for diagnostic/monitoring purposes.

But ultrasounds are pretty much the only thing we have to pay for, so not bad overall 😄

I think a 20 week scan is free but the dating scans aren't. It will depend where you go to get them done too. If you are going to a private OB GYN they will probably refer to you places that charge while if you go through a hospital midwife then the hospital ones should be free.

The place I went to most recently (still a couple of years ago) had a large notice stating they no longer bulk billed obstetric ultrasounds.

Medicare does cover a (very small) portion. If you are in Sydney, there are cheaper places than this to go to but it lists the rebates according to code: https://www.sufw.com.au/ultrasound-costs/

The cost of obstetric related insurance has soared in recent years. It is the reason a lot of obstetricians are leaving and only doing gynaecology or fertility work. It is possible this is also the reason it is hard to find a bulk billed ultrasound. I had left Sydney before my last pregnancy and there are none in my area. Literally none. And it isn’t that bloody remote either!