Obstetricians say cheaper private health care could improve regional maternity crisis

Obstetricians are calling on the Albanese government to force private health companies to include pregnancy across all policy levels following the steady collapse of regional maternity services across Australia.

Gladstone mum Coco Boyd suffered a placenta abruption during the birth of her third child, Willow, who arrived nine weeks early on December 16. Picture: Tara Croser

Obstetricians are calling on the Albanese government to force private health companies to include pregnancy across all policy levels following the steady collapse of regional maternity services across Australia.

Private health providers charge a higher level of cover for pregnancy and birth care, often accompanied by a year-long waiting period.

National Association of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists president Gino Pecoraro said high costs of cover had led to decline in private health care and contributed to the closure of regional clinics.

“In Australia, because of how spread out we are, we absolutely need the public and private sectors to work together to meet service delivery needs,” he said.

“If a private unit goes under, then everyone is forced to go public and they are not staffed, built or resourced to look after everyone and that is what happened in Gladstone.”

The public maternity unit in Gladstone, which services 64,000 people on Queensland’s central coast, has been on bypass for 255 days due to lack of specialists. The private unit closed in 2018.

Coco Boyd and partner Shannon Sutherland with baby Willow Marie Sutherland. Ms Boyd suffered a placenta abruption during the birth.

Gladstone mum Coco Boyd suffered a placenta abruption during the birth of her third child and said she would have bled out in the back of the ambulance if she had been transferred 100km to Rockhampton Hospital.

Dr Pecoraro said making private obstetric care more affordable was one solution to improve the maternity crisis gripping regional Australia.

He said the federal government could make law changes to force insurers to include pregnancy in every policy tier or treat maternity care like psychiatric treatment, where health fund members on lower levels of cover can upgrade to a “gold” policy without serving the usual waiting period.

Private Healthcare Australia chief Rachel David said the gold, silver and bronze tier system introduced by the previous government was rigid and should be reviewed.

Health Minister Mark Butler was contacted for comment.