Seeking Homebirth Funding in QLD | Maternity Choices AU

SEEKING QLD HOMEBIRTH FUNDING

QUEENSLAND IS STILL THE ONLY STATE
IN AUSTRALIA TO HAVE NEVER HAD PUBLICLY FUNDED HOMEBIRTH AS AN OPTION.
USE OUR STEPS BELOW TO TRY TO ACHEIVE
FUNDING FOR YOUR HOMEBIRTH

REQUIREMENTS

Currently pregnant and planning to birth at home under the care of a privately practising midwife

Currently enrolled to vote in Queensland.

In the 'Low risk' category for your pregnancy

If you don't meet the above requirements, you can click one of the following buttons to email us and we can see if we're able to help you apply for funding another way.

MY PREGNANCY IS
CONSIDERED 'HIGH RISK'

I'M NOT ELIGIBLE
TO VOTE

MY PRIVATE HEALTH
INSURANCE DOESN'T COVER IT

INTRO

After hearing that a Commonwealth department and a major QLD hospital paid private practising midwife (PPM) fees for a couple of women, a QLD govt MP also agreed to pay the out of pocket costs of a private practising midwife at home. Homebirth Queensland and Maternity Choices Australia decided to launch a statewide homebirth funding campaign for a collective of individual women.

Our aim is to reduce the number of volunteering hours answering emails about homebirth funding in Qld, to show consumer demand and to test the new Queensland Human Rights Act which prohibits coercion and access to the highest attainable health services available because we know homebirth is the safest option for low risk women.

ATTACHMENT EXAMPLES

Check your electorate and ensure you are enrolled to vote.

Check your enrolment HERE

You must be enrolled in that state electorate to continue.

Check your state electorate by entering your address HERE

Find your state MP's email address HERE

Ask your midwife to write a letter to state that you are under their care and are planning to birth at home. Also include that you are low risk and a great candidate for homebirth. Add any relevant history from your previous birth if you have any. Eg. Previous child born at home with no complications/previous trauma associated with hospital birth, continuity of midwifery carer would support better maternal and infant outcomes.

If there is a disability or mental health diagnosis and what their recommendation for reasonable adjustments are ie in home care.

You can show them our example for reference if you wish.

SEE EXAMPLE HERE

Ask your midwife to email you a copy of their statement of fees or an invoice with the total out of pocket costs of your homebirth care, including antenatal, birth and post-natal fees.

This will show the hospital/MP exactly what you are seeking funding for after Medicare rebate. It will add up to around $4500-5000.

SEE EXAMPLE HERE

Write a letter yourself. This will become the body of your email to the hospital. You can use our template and add additional information if you have a history of hospital or personal trauma/abuse etc. Also include low income or First Nations status if relevant. Sign, Date and add your address to letter. Make sure to email draft to Azure or Amanda and ask for feedback.

DOWNLOAD AND EDIT THE FILE HERE

Prepare the email to request funding.

Your submission will need to have the right documents attached then emailed to your local hospital from your private email.

You will need the 3 documents listed above and the rest of the attachments you need are included in our 'Supporting Documents' file.

You can have a look at what finished looks like HERE

FIND YOUR LOCAL HOSPITAL EMAIL HERE

USE OUR CHECKLIST TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE EVERYTHING READY > HERE

Write your email with subject line: Formal Complaint

Dear CEO,

Please find attached formal funding complaint request.

Regards Your name

Your phone number

Your address

Send your email and all attachments to your local Hospital (HHS) and CC in everyone on our checklist.

You can find the hospital (HHS) patient liasion, Department Liaison Officer (DLO) emails HERE

Note the date you emailed the complaint in your calendar and set alarm for every 2 weeks in case they don't respond, this will ensure you are not forgotten. Mark 45 days after complaint submitted as you can then forward to OHO and QHRC after 45 days from date of complaint.

You may need to chase up a response from them and your state MP by email and or phone if you don't get a response.

Book a meeting with MP and confirm attendance with Azure and/or Amanda as we will be your support person in this meeting. (We can also combine a meeting with other women in your electorate in our campaign and have a group one instead). You will be required to attend this meeting in person or via Zoom. We will prepare you and also speak to the issue on your behalf. You will just need to tell your story. Our MP’s job is to advocate and listen to its constituents issues, that’s YOU. It’s not as scary as it sounds. We will support you all of the way.

If the hospital denies requests for funding, we will follow up with the MP with the hospital correspondence and request funding from the MP instead.

10.

If you wish to do media to agitate the issue, let us know.

After 45 days you can send a copy of your initial complaint and any correspondence from hospital/MP to Office of Health Ombudsman and Qld human rights commission

Subject: ‘lodge formal complaint via email’

TO: complaints@oho.qld.gov.au & enquiries@adcq.qld.gov.au

CC: complaints@maternitychoices.org.au