Side effects and percentages not disclosed RE radiation

Yes @Sunshine0206 fair to all - if I had the money I’d gladly pay whatever I cost. And would be donating money for cancer research.  My ideal situation would be to use my private health insurance to pay the higher fees to the public hospital. Therefore I would get my own Dr etc and the public hospital would receive my private health insurance rebate on top of the normal Medicare rebate. Win/win. In lieu of the private system getting rich we could assist the public system stay afloat. 

I think the financial burden is difficult for anyone no matter their age or income status.  No one expects this to happen or plans for it financially. 

I wish it could all be equitable.

@Sunshine0206. That’s what im
saying about the radiation and in fact the whole private system. It’s such a rip off for the people who don’t ask or know or whose referring Dr doesn’t negotiate prices. I knew several women who paid the $15k and one lady had to sell her car to afford it. Too proud maybe to ask or just didn’t know she could negotiate.  Terrible for someone to lose their car to cover cost of radiation for b c when it could be fine for no gaps!!!!  We need to get the message out somehow BEFORE the need for radiation that is VERY negotiable.  Maybe means tested. We are in senior pension yet still paid $1000 OPE after paying $7000 OPE prior just for surgery & tests. 
Needs to be fair, particularly the for people like the lady selling her car. 

I am having radiation privately. There is no out of pocket as they are bulk billing. My surgeon and I negotiated this arrangement. 

X

@viking1 I had seriously considered the public system for radiation due to cost but discovered Genesis Cancer Care also owned the public radiation company ROC. 
i had my radiation 30 treatments over 6 weeks with Genesis Cancer Care on the Gold Coast after discussions with admin staff there I bartered an agreed cost if $142.85 per week out of pocket.  (Initial quoted price was $15k up). 
Both companies had a bus to pick up patients but I drove 30 minutes each way each day. 
On reflection I think the private company make enough money from Medicare for the treatment they can afford to not charge any gap, in fact any gap is s bonus. I kept full records of my radiation costs and Medicare paid s total of $15899.20 and I paid 7 weeks of $142.85 so Genesis received $16899.15 for the 30 treatments. $563.30 per treatment.  If they charge the patient $15000 on top that’s $1000 per treatment. ($500 extra profit every treatment.  I don’t believe Genesis would have offered to do the 6 weeks of treatments if they weren’t making money out of it. 
Cancer is s hugely expensive health issue. More so if the patient has private health insurance. 

I'm in an interesting situation.  Just finished chemo and due to start radiation for 6 weeks (30 treatments).  I am a public patient and the radiation was to be in the same hospital as my lumpectomy and chemo. However, after a counselling session with a non government funded charity Breast Cancer Care organisation (free counselling), they suggested that as I lived closer to a private radiation clinic it might lessen my travel time and fatigue to go there instead.  Genesis Cancer Care  treats public patients for radiation (not other oncology areas I gather) and there is a gap payment, which in my case is $500.  This is based on assessment. I am on the DSP so not sure if the $500 is because of that or if it will be reduced further.  Awaiting my first meeting with them. The charity organisation breast nurse contacted my hospital home base on my behalf to be referred to Genesis.  Then they will contact me.  With my home base hospital I rely on hospital transport and need to be ready to leave home two hours before my rad session, then have rad, say 30 mins undressing, treatment set up and dressing etc, then wait to go home, dropping off patients on the way, usually 2 hours.  So that's about 4.5hrs out of every day for 6 weeks.  At the private clinic it takes 20 mins to drive there top, and parking is free. So maybe 40mins travel and 30 mins for rad prep and rad tops. I get to see the same Dr each time and can phone the nurses anytime. I also have free use of the gym and individual exercise program designed for me by a onc physio/exercise trainer. (I'm not a fan of exercise but the results speak for themselves ... this is part of the ECU Vario exercise research program featured on Catalyst and the BCNA website as ground breaking global research!)  I am quite taken aback with this gift from the charity.  It's a bit of a huge shock that they are also going to fund me to do this! My surgery experience with the public system was very good with a multidisciplinary team and good follow up with the surgeon and lovely breast nurses. Chemo was sloppy with follow through from various chemo oncs but the chemo nurses were the backbone of the operation and great. I had already met with the public rad onc and thought he was very good and again the multidisciplinary team sounded on top of things.  My only fear was change from the hospital I know, warts and all, to somewhere new.  I will still need to drive but  I will cut down on time spent in travel and waiting.  I'm not saying private is better than public but this seems like a good move?  I am still allowed to be a public patient at my hospital base for my herceptin injections.  I wouldn't have thought this possible without the charity org counsellor telling me - so if this info helps anyone that's great.  Even though $500 may not seem a lot, I am in the red with chemist bits and pieces and wouldn't be able to afford. I am totally amazed and grateful to be funded to do this, and hoping that the experience will be as good as possible.  Does this sound a good decision?xxx

@Champers69 I have had double mx and my surgeon advised no reconstruction until after radiation. She alleges that it shrinks and tightens the area. Thus  she has made my left side slightly bigger than the right after mastectomy.

hope that helps. X

Hi all. I’m in the fortunate position of being able to choose on the type of surgery I have, but regardless of whether I have a lumpectomy or unilateral mastectomy with DIEP flap reconstruction, I have to have radiotherapy :(  My dilemma is that I’ve received conflicting advice about when to have radiotherapy if I choose a mastectomy. One Dr recommended I have it before reconstruction, the other recommended I have it after reconstruction. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Something similar happened with my Medical oncologist- large staff and very impressive rooms butadmin needed fine tuning

I fully appreciate that admin staff are given strict instructions about not tying up medical staff in impossible or inconvenient appointments, but they can be crazy. My cardiologist's receptionist sent reminders for umpteen appointments, confirming them for appointments in Gippsland instead of Melbourne. All that achieved was tying up the switch for hours while everyone panicked! Just be grateful they are not administering treatment.....