Any chance of getting an early scan with private health insurance?

[hopefully]

Anyone have any idea about this? I have health insurance, which definitely doesn't cover normal pregnancy related treatment, but I was wondering if I would get a private scan if there was any problem with my pregnancy at any point? Suppose it would depend on the insurer (I get the health insurance through work, but I understand it's pretty comprehensive - big multi-national publishing company employer)

probably not covered
I don't think they are terribly expensive

yuck. think I might just fork out if necessary! Health insurance has been the most pointless benefit known to mankind for me. Thought it might actually prove useful. But no.

no but our PHI offered a maternity benefit of £100 so if yours does you could use that money

what do you mean by an early scan though? too early and they won't detect anything .. what scans do you get on NHS .. here it's 11-13 weeks and 20-23 weeks (I think those are enough personally)

an early scan ie before 9 weeks is internal and only for bleeding / issues

11 - 13 weeks is the nuchal fold scan and needs to be done at this stage (can't be done earlier or later)

the 20 -23 week test is the anomoly scan and again needs to be done at this developmental stage

HTH

Ah, the joys of 'benefits'! I would so have preferred an extra couple of hundred quid every year!

Can't you ask your company to take you off the scheme if you don't want it? At least you won't pay tax on it then, might get you an £50-£100 a year.

I used my company health insurance for my D&C after a miscarriage last year and it was fantastic. Such a traumatic experience but the private care made it so much more bearable (and 24 hours quicker which is important after a MC!)

And the only way to find out if you're covered privately is to ring them and ask

Why do you want the early scan?

Good luck with the pregnancy!

Don't knock it - better you haven't needed it. I had a freak joint problem and ended up in a wheelchair and carried out of my flat by my parents! Within days I was treated by a top consultant on Harley St and although I had a year or so of injections and stuff in my spine and foot joints, had to wear hideous shoes, I was told there was a waiting list of months for a rheumatologist on the NHS. I was happy to pay my £125 excess for that. Now it's long gone cos I had good and quick treatment. Also had the misfortune to have a minor varicose vein pop up after last pg - had a world-renowned specialist take it out at the King Edward hossie (where the Queen goes) and course of injections in minor thread veins... again cheap at the price!!

My insurance agreed to cover the additional costs for an emergency section and a longer stay in hospital (was already going private) last time but luckily it was the one time it wasn't needed. But worth bearing in mind if you want the insurance to pick up the costs of a private room if you want one post-natally.

I must be the only one that private health insurance has benefitted (and it wasn't even mine, it was DH's who got extra benefit to cover me as his spouse!). I wasn't ovulating at all and was found to have a high prolactin level. We went private after I found out there was a 2-month wait (no fun when you have been waiting for 8 months for the GP to take you seriously enough to start doing blood tests...) to see the endocrinologist on the NHS. We paid the £100 excess and last year, I must have seen the endocrinologist about 4-6 times (£170 per visit!), had an MRI (£1500+!), numerous blood tests (£50-100 each time) and field vision tests (£100+ each time?). So the diagnosis and follow-up appointments (I got pregnant very quickly after I was treated!) must have cost about £3000+ last year. Definitely worth it for us. Don't discount it!

I went to see my OB at 5 weeks privatly and I got a scan and blood tests

Hmmm. Maybe I'll keep the health insurance in case of future non-pregnancy related disasters! After a quick work discussion we have decided that the downside of paying tax on it probably isn't enough to outweigh the benefit of having it.

Re the early scan, it was more out if interest in case something happened. Although I am still tempted to fork out for a dating scan just so it feels more real!

Hi hopefully, if you are in London, go to the Fetal Medicine Centre for a viability scan (they recommend this for 7-10 weeks), it's £100 and it's £100 well spent if you consider that all profits from the centre goes into a charity that helps train sonographers! I had a really lovely first scan with them at 7+ weeks and it was so great to see and hear the HB! I went there yesterday for a 32-week wellbeing scan (after having lots of complications early in the pregnancy) and the sonographer was so wonderful and re-assuring that I consider it £150 well spent. GL!