Ms Leonie Havnen
Recently attended BCNA forum in Sydney which was an extraordinary learning curve ball for me. Guest speakers were excellent, however some presentations were far too clinical that many women in the audience just switched off. Presenters need to remind themselves to adjust their presentation for the audience!
One discussion I would like to see placed on BCNA's next forum is the Financial Rollercoaster that women go through when dealing with Breast Cancer.
I have years of experience working with red tape bureaucrats but when I was faced with dealing with Department of Health and Community Services - Early Release of Superannuation to pay for my ever increasing medical bills it was an absolute nightmare. Here I was going through major surgery, life draining treatment to then have to deal with a a Federal Government Agency who have no idea whatsoever the stress and anxiety that an unwell person is experiencing. It took me close to 6 months to have some of my superannuation monies released whilst medical bills were continuing to pile up.
What I would like to see is the Minister for Health and Community Services and the Secretary of that Department at the next BCNA forum to justify the inhumane treatment of breast cancer suffers (in fact anyone dealing with a 'life threatening illness') the hoops of fire they not only make the person but medical practitioners jump through to have an application assessed and then an individuals own monies released.
One of my biggest bug bears was that my GP and Surgeon Oncologist had to justify why I had my surgery undertaken in a Private Hospital and not a Public Hospital! For goodness sakes due to government policy those who earn over a certain amount are required to undertake Private Health Insurance so as not to put a burden on the public system. I have been in Private Health Insurance for the past 30 plus years and here I am dealing with a life threatening illness (ladies get use to this term for the bureaucrats!) so of course I am going to go Private as this is what the Government also expects me to do. But alas no! My medical team had to justify why I went private and not public for my surgery..... what don't these morons understand! On one hand we are told those who can afford private health insurance should use the private system so as to reduce the $$$$ and shorten waiting times for those who also need health care through the public system.
A presentation by the Minister and Secretary of the Department of Health and Community Services would be valuable and very interactive.
Comments
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Great points made.
I have advanced breast cancer in liver and bones and thou survival rates have improved somewhat, cancer in the organs like liver still has poorer prognosis and at 43 I will not reach retirement age unless by exceptional circumstances. So why cant I have my super to make my life easier now.
I feel it is made too hard to access the money and certainly needs addressing.
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Great points made.
I have advanced breast cancer in liver and bones and thou survival rates have improved somewhat, cancer in the organs like liver still has poorer prognosis and at 43 I will not reach retirement age unless by exceptional circumstances. So why cant I have my super to make my life easier now.
I feel it is made too hard to access the money and certainly needs addressing.
0 -
Great points made.
I have advanced breast cancer in liver and bones and thou survival rates have improved somewhat, cancer in the organs like liver still has poorer prognosis and at 43 I will not reach retirement age unless by exceptional circumstances. So why cant I have my super to make my life easier now.
I feel it is made too hard to access the money and certainly needs addressing.
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