MEDICAL EXPENSES - TIPS

Thanks for the tip Leonie, I have not used dental as I have extras cover, but I do remember someone telling me there is a list of what can and can't be done etc. I have had an EPC for physio and that was straight forward, so comes in handy if you have maxed your extras out or don't have cover x   

Hey Debbie, you go and see your GP and ask for an EPC plan for dental. They write one out not to sure about the rest but your GP should know a bit more. Sorry I don't know anymore but I hope some of this info helps x 

How does it work with the dental side, what do you have to do?. Debbie

Ladies I forgot to mention about the Enhanced Primary Care program through medicare. It is for people with chronic illnesses and cancer comes under the program. What it is, is you go to your GP and ask for an EPC for instance for physio. The GP writes it out and you take it to your physio and are able to claim like 6 visits at Medicare (physio is not covered by Medicare but under this program it is). You can also get dental covered you get like $4,000 over 2 yrs to spend on dental work.

Hope this info helps!

It is means tested in a way, it is based on how much you and your partner have earn't in the past 8 weeks (including bank interest etc) it is very much worth looking in to!

Hi I live in WA. When I was told by my private health fund, that I face huge out of pocket expenses. I decided to go public when my diagnosing doctor told me that everything is completely covered by public hospital.   (Plus the public hospital is also where my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer).

I am so glad I went public, I asked to be treated as a public patient. I have not had to pay for any MRI,  Brain Cat scans, ultrasounds, and other tests, chemotherapy, operations and reconstructions. Plus in my hospital, breast cancer patients having masectomy had a private room. I had tissue expanders put in straight away. Now waiting for my next operation to have the silicone implants put in.  No doubt I have to wait for this next operation. I only just been put on the list because of other complications of mine but it only a few months wait.  I am having the operation in July.  Well worth the wait.  The money I saved from not going private, I am now going to use on my family's first overseas holiday with my hubby and 4 kids. 

So now I am considering cancelling my private health.  Whats the point if it can't help me when I need it.  Plus maybe then I can afford more holidays. lol. Decided since having breast cancer, I want to take more holidays with my family.

Dot

Hi I live in WA. When I was told by my private health fund, that I face huge out of pocket expenses. I decided to go public when my diagnosing doctor told me that everything is completely covered by public hospital.   (Plus the public hospital is also where my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer).

I am so glad I went public, I asked to be treated as a public patient. I have not had to pay for any MRI,  Brain Cat scans, ultrasounds, and other tests, chemotherapy, operations and reconstructions. Plus in my hospital, breast cancer patients having masectomy had a private room. I had tissue expanders put in straight away. Now waiting for my next operation to have the silicone implants put in.  No doubt I have to wait for this next operation. I only just been put on the list because of other complications of mine but it only a few months wait.  I am having the operation in July.  Well worth the wait.  The money I saved from not going private, I am now going to use on my family's first overseas holiday with my hubby and 4 kids. 

So now I am considering cancelling my private health.  Whats the point if it can't help me when I need it.  Plus maybe then I can afford more holidays. lol. Decided since having breast cancer, I want to take more holidays with my family.

Dot

Interesting comments girls, especially regarding the healthcare card. Is it means tested? I always believed it was and that I therefore wouldn't qualify, so I would be interested to know.

Hope everyone has a nice Easter x

Hi Em, can't agree with you more. Everywhere I go and everyone I see I now automatically ask to be bulk-billed or be referred to someone who will. Re Health Care Card, unfortuntely I didn't find out about this until after my surgeries and well into my treatment. I simply picked up the phone, called Centrelink and asked if I was entitled to have one and I was! Ask a family member to help you with the paperwork.

Hi Louse, me again. I knew you could claim your out of pocket medical expenses as my Accountant claimed mine last year (in excess of $21K out of pocket). I just assumed reconstruction would be considered cosmetic, now that I know otherwise, I'll get all my reconstruction bills out for this years tax return. Great tip, thanks.