Breast reconstruction costs.

Silba

Hi, just navigating the wonderful world of breast reconstruction need to have bilateral mastectomy, ( getting done next couple weeks) haven't made up mind about reconstruction due to financial costs. I have private health insurance and currently going privately through treatment, but have hit the reconstruction hurdle.  Any one can give me an idea of out of pocket costs and advise as to wether is time to go public and how do you jump from private to public., and has anyone had a "goldilocks" mastectomy ???? Thank you .

Glemmis

Hi @silba, I had a mastectomy in 2016 and am now booked for a skin sparing prophalactic mastectomy on the other side & double reconstruction. I am going private & I will about 17,000 out of pocket. I haven't investigated the public system but there are other ladies who have. I think there is about a 2 year wait for public. You can also join the Reconstruction group where you will get lots of advice.

Silba

Thank you I will look into it.

iserbrown

https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/group/1-choosing-breast-reconstruction

www.reclaimyourcurves.org.au

Hi welcome to the forum.  There's a wealth of information on the forum and the BCNA website.

As to costs that is variable. Your specialist will give you the costs prior.  Does your specialist work in the public system as well as private? 

Best wishes with your research.  Take care 

Vallerina

Hi silba just wondering what is a goldilocks mastectomy ?? 

Silba

My surgeon says it's a mastectomy but they take the majority of the breast tissue and nipple but fold the skin flaps over each other to leave a slight bump rather than a concave chest.a but smaller than a A cup. He's only done a few so wondering if anyone else has had it done.

primek

Oh that sounds very interesting and you would then have more time to consider which type of reconstruction you would have. 

kmakm

Hi @Silba. There's a lot of discussion on this over in the Choosing Breast Reconstruction group so do join and check it out. But to summarise, the price varies enormously, and waiting times in the public system vary from state to state. K 

Harvey1903

Hi @Silba. I had mastectomy, reconstruction, and reduction all at the same time. 8 hour op 5 days in hospital.  I went public and haven't paid anything. Peter Mac Melbourne.  There are lots of posts in choosing breast reconstruction and the breconda website was also helpful.  Big decision all the best. J

Sister

I have private cover and my surgeon has told me there would be approximately $500 gap for his services but it wasn't a definitive discussion so I haven't asked for a breakdown of costs. And that was for one side.  He is well-known for keeping his costs down for BC patients where possible so this probably impacts.
As for public or private, I don't think there's any difficulty switching but be aware that there appears to be massive differences in waiting times from state to state.

Jemima2018

HI @Silba.  I also went public for a bilateral masectomy and diep reconstruction.   I had this done at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and it was about a 7.5 hour surgery and I was in hospital for six days.    The surgery and the care whilst in hospital and also post op as an outpatient was absolutely faultless.  All this did not cost me anything.

Silba

Thank you all for your feedback ,

 I am having surgery through the public system with my private treating surgeon only bilateral mastectomy at the moment since I'm also going to need radiotherapy ( as if 6 mths chemo wasn't enough) , have spoken to PS , his assistant does reconstruction Diep through public , so that will be the way I will be going when I have the go ahead.

But not having worked for six months , not having to pay GAP costs for these surgeries is a load of my shoulders and a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel. 

Just had to be blunt and said I have no money left over.

ScarlettFever

Hi Everyone....new to this site.  Can someone please tell me how I can join the breast reconstruction group?

https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/group/1-choosing-breast-reconstruction

I clicked on join and answered the question with my story but nothing happened?

Thank you so much.

iserbrown

@Jane221

Jane221

Thanks @iserbrown, have followed up with BCNA re @ScarlettFever's application to join the group as she is not showing up as having applied. There are also some problems accessing the photo stories etc too so think there must be a technical glitch with the group. Hopefully it will be sorted soon.  

iserbrown

Thank you!