Fees: paediatric care during your hospital stay
For a well newborn rooming in on the postnatal ward at Frances Perry House — what’s billed, what Medicare rebates, and why private funds usually don’t cover this.
Last reviewed
Important: classified as outpatient by your fund
A well baby on the postnatal ward is technically classified as an outpatient of the hospital by Medicare and private health funds — even though you’re physically in hospital. Two practical consequences:
- Medicare pays the standard rebate on every eligible item.
- The Extended Medicare Safety Net (EMSN)applies — once you cross the calendar-year threshold, Medicare covers a larger share.
- Your private health fund does NOT cover these fees — the fund only pays for hospital inpatient services. (If your baby is admitted to the Special Care Nursery, that classification changes — see SCN billing.)
Initial paediatric attendance
The first paediatric visit to see your baby after birth. All billed under MBS Item 110; the fee varies by timing and complexity of the attendance.
| Scenario | Billed | MBS item | Gap after Medicare | Gap with Safety Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elective review (in hours) | $550 | Item 110 | $394 | $79 |
| In-hours elective C-section or weekend elective review | $650 | Item 110 | $494 | $99 |
| Emergency C-section in hours / weekend elective C-section | $800 | Item 110 | $644 | $144 |
| After-hours or weekend attendance | $1,000 | Item 110 | $844 | $344 |
| Overnight attendance (10pm–8am) | $1,400 | Item 110 | $1,244 | $744 |
After-hours and emergency attendances cost more — the paediatrician is called in specifically to attend. The Medicare rebate for Item 110 is currently $155.85.
Subsequent ward consultations
After the first attendance, the paediatrician reviews your baby — most days on the postnatal ward, every day in Special Care — monitoring feeding, weight, jaundice and any concerns.
| Review type | Billed | MBS item | Medicare rebate | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subsequent review — substantive (e.g. discharge check) | $275 | Item 116 | $77.95 | $197 |
| Subsequent review — higher complexity | $95 | Item 116 | $77.95 | $17 |
| Subsequent review — lower complexity | $55 | Item 119 | $44.45 | $11 |
If a covering paediatrician sees your baby in Dr Jubal’s absence, they bill separately under their own provider details.
Typical day-by-day scenarios
Each interaction is billed separately, so the total reflects the care provided. The common postnatal-ward patterns are below; the first-day code varies by timing. If your baby is admitted to Special Care, see SCN billing.
Single ward review
Some short stays involve just one paediatric attendance — a single newborn examination that also serves as the discharge check, done during the stay, by the day before going home.
| Day | MBS item | Billed | Rebate | Gap | EMSN gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D1 | Item 110 Elective review (in hours) · newborn examination | $550 | $155.85 | $394 | $79 |
| Total | $550 | $155.85 | $394 | $79 | |
Indicative figures only. Practitioner fees from the newborn registration form; Medicare rebates from the current MBS schedule; EMSN figures reflect the Safety Net benefit once the calendar-year threshold is met. Actual figures may differ — see billing disclaimer.
Elective vaginal birth — paediatric review
Routine vaginal delivery in hours; paediatrician reviews on day 1, then daily until discharge.
| Day | MBS item | Billed | Rebate | Gap | EMSN gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D1 | Item 110 Elective review (in hours) · newborn examination | $550 | $155.85 | $394 | $79 |
| D2 | Item 119 Subsequent review — lower complexity | $55 | $44.45 | $11 | $2 |
| D3 | Item 119 Subsequent review — lower complexity | $55 | $44.45 | $11 | $2 |
| D4 | Item 116 Subsequent review — substantive (e.g. discharge check) · discharge review | $275 | $77.95 | $197 | $39 |
| Total | $935 | $322.70 | $612 | $122 | |
Indicative figures only. Practitioner fees from the newborn registration form; Medicare rebates from the current MBS schedule; EMSN figures reflect the Safety Net benefit once the calendar-year threshold is met. Actual figures may differ — see billing disclaimer.
Weekend vaginal birth — paediatric review
Vaginal delivery on a weekend; paediatrician reviews on day 1, then daily until discharge.
| Day | MBS item | Billed | Rebate | Gap | EMSN gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D1 | Item 110 In-hours elective C-section or weekend elective review · newborn examination (weekend) | $650 | $155.85 | $494 | $99 |
| D2 | Item 119 Subsequent review — lower complexity | $55 | $44.45 | $11 | $2 |
| D3 | Item 119 Subsequent review — lower complexity | $55 | $44.45 | $11 | $2 |
| D4 | Item 116 Subsequent review — substantive (e.g. discharge check) · discharge review | $275 | $77.95 | $197 | $39 |
| Total | $1,035 | $322.70 | $712 | $142 | |
Indicative figures only. Practitioner fees from the newborn registration form; Medicare rebates from the current MBS schedule; EMSN figures reflect the Safety Net benefit once the calendar-year threshold is met. Actual figures may differ — see billing disclaimer.
Elective C-section (in hours)
In-hours elective caesarean; paediatrician attends the delivery on day 1, then daily until discharge.
| Day | MBS item | Billed | Rebate | Gap | EMSN gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D1 | Item 110 In-hours elective C-section or weekend elective review · delivery + newborn exam | $650 | $155.85 | $494 | $99 |
| D2 | Item 116 Subsequent review — substantive (e.g. discharge check) | $275 | $77.95 | $197 | $39 |
| D3 | Item 119 Subsequent review — lower complexity | $55 | $44.45 | $11 | $2 |
| D4 | Item 116 Subsequent review — substantive (e.g. discharge check) · discharge review | $275 | $77.95 | $197 | $39 |
| Total | $1,255 | $356.20 | $899 | $179 | |
Indicative figures only. Practitioner fees from the newborn registration form; Medicare rebates from the current MBS schedule; EMSN figures reflect the Safety Net benefit once the calendar-year threshold is met. Actual figures may differ — see billing disclaimer.
Emergency C-section (in hours) or weekend elective C-section
Emergency caesarean in business hours, or a weekend elective caesarean; paediatrician attends the delivery, then daily until discharge.
| Day | MBS item | Billed | Rebate | Gap | EMSN gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D1 | Item 110 Emergency C-section in hours / weekend elective C-section · delivery + newborn exam | $800 | $155.85 | $644 | $144 |
| D2 | Item 116 Subsequent review — substantive (e.g. discharge check) | $275 | $77.95 | $197 | $39 |
| D3 | Item 119 Subsequent review — lower complexity | $55 | $44.45 | $11 | $2 |
| D4 | Item 116 Subsequent review — substantive (e.g. discharge check) · discharge review | $275 | $77.95 | $197 | $39 |
| Total | $1,405 | $356.20 | $1,049 | $224 | |
Indicative figures only. Practitioner fees from the newborn registration form; Medicare rebates from the current MBS schedule; EMSN figures reflect the Safety Net benefit once the calendar-year threshold is met. Actual figures may differ — see billing disclaimer.
After-hours C-section (not overnight)
Caesarean called outside business hours but before 10 pm; paediatrician attends the delivery, then daily until discharge.
| Day | MBS item | Billed | Rebate | Gap | EMSN gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D1 | Item 110 After-hours or weekend attendance · after-hours delivery + newborn exam | $1,000 | $155.85 | $844 | $344 |
| D2 | Item 116 Subsequent review — substantive (e.g. discharge check) | $275 | $77.95 | $197 | $39 |
| D3 | Item 119 Subsequent review — lower complexity | $55 | $44.45 | $11 | $2 |
| D4 | Item 116 Subsequent review — substantive (e.g. discharge check) · discharge review | $275 | $77.95 | $197 | $39 |
| Total | $1,605 | $356.20 | $1,249 | $424 | |
Indicative figures only. Practitioner fees from the newborn registration form; Medicare rebates from the current MBS schedule; EMSN figures reflect the Safety Net benefit once the calendar-year threshold is met. Actual figures may differ — see billing disclaimer.
Overnight C-section
Caesarean called between 10 pm and 8 am; paediatrician attends overnight on day 1, then daily until discharge.
| Day | MBS item | Billed | Rebate | Gap | EMSN gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D1 | Item 110 Overnight attendance (10pm–8am) · overnight delivery + newborn exam | $1,400 | $155.85 | $1,244 | $744 |
| D2 | Item 116 Subsequent review — substantive (e.g. discharge check) | $275 | $77.95 | $197 | $39 |
| D3 | Item 119 Subsequent review — lower complexity | $55 | $44.45 | $11 | $2 |
| D4 | Item 119 Subsequent review — lower complexity | $55 | $44.45 | $11 | $2 |
| D5 | Item 116 Subsequent review — substantive (e.g. discharge check) · discharge review | $275 | $77.95 | $197 | $39 |
| Total | $2,060 | $400.65 | $1,659 | $826 | |
Indicative figures only. Practitioner fees from the newborn registration form; Medicare rebates from the current MBS schedule; EMSN figures reflect the Safety Net benefit once the calendar-year threshold is met. Actual figures may differ — see billing disclaimer.
The Extended Medicare Safety Net (EMSN)
Once your family’s out-of-pocket costs cross the EMSN thresholdfor the calendar year — $2,699.10 general / $861.20 concessional (2026) — Medicare pays back, on each subsequent eligible item, the lower of80% of the gap or the per-item EMSN cap (300% of the schedule fee, max $500). For large-fee items like Item 110 the $500 cap is what binds — that’s the figure the “Gap with Safety Net” column above uses.
Pregnancy care and obstetric fees usually contribute toward the threshold; many mothers reach it by the time of birth. Worth checking your Medicare account.
Related
- Special Care Nursery (SCN) billing — if your baby is admitted to SCN, fund cover changes.
- Outpatient clinic fees — antenatal, post-discharge, telehealth.
- Paying your invoice — the practical step-by-step.
- Fees overview — clinical context and the “why”.