MEDICAL EXPENSES - TIPS
I wish someone had told me beforehand, but I found out the hard way! As far as tests go (not surgeries), if you need any tests whatsoever, xRays, ultrasounds, bloodwork, bone scans, brain scans or MR...
Forum Discussion
My experience so far - I'm in Victoria is that there can still be a Gap while an inpatient in a Private Hospital - for me this has been for Pharmacy and Pathology though I had reached a limit on my pathology that meant my gap was capped. with my pathology - the health fund and medicare co-contributed and I paid a Gap.
My understanding though was that inpatient Gap expenses did not contribute to the Medicare Safety Net while Outpatient gaps did. Once you reach the safety net - I think you are guaranteed to get 80% of the out of pockets back but only for out of hospital expenses.
http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/public/services/msn/index.jsp
I have not had any of my imaging tests as an inpatient so I am not sure about that. It does help though to use the one provider because within a certain timeframe (not sure what) it may be classed as the same "episode" and the costs start to reduce.
I have a literal box with about 8 separate folders to manage the billing and paying - awaiting medicare cheques, MBF cheques, paying Gaps etc... I am still waiting on a Medicare cheque for my pathology from my surgery.
My tip - Copy all of your invoices. If you submit to Medicare and do a dual claim they take the invoice and you have no record of your charges and out of pockets - also they get lost!
Amanda xx