Out of pocket expenses - share our stories
Greetings to all network members. I guess we have all received an email from BCNA encouraging us to take part in a survey conducted by the Consumers Health Forum - to find out more about 'out of pock...
Forum Discussion
Here are the results of the survey from earlier in the year:
https://chf.org.au/out-pocket-pain-closed
The survey had finished before I'd had most of my expenses in!! HOWEVER .....
Because I was keen to get my surgery over & done with back in the middle of January - I went private for the surgery - I knew there would be a 'cost' - but it still 'hurts'. I am not sure how long i would have had to have waited, had I opted for the same surgeon in the Public system .... probably a month or more - but that was going to do my head in - so I went private & ended up with $3500 'out of pocket' expenses after NIB/Medicare for the surgery - but that DID cover reconstruction at the same time as the operation & it was a very neat job. Right now, it is difficult to tell which boob had the surgery as it was all done by isolating the nipple & the surgery was done under the peeled back skin - even the lymph nodes were removed without any outer skin cuts. After removing the tumours (making my right boob a bit smaller than it was previously) - the loose skin was removed & then the nipple was reattached & stitched 360 degrees. The only cut I had for the whole procedure was around the entire nipple.
There was the $450 I had to pay to the private hospital before surgery, as they were not on NIB's 'preferred hospitals' - and that was BEFORE NIB would pay any of the hospital bill - and also an excess of $250 to NIB as well.
$250 oncology bill
$160 re lymphoma check
Then $500 'blowout' of my pathology tests from surgery (for some reason it wasn't covered by Medicare or NIB) ..... not sure why!
I've never received an invoice from my anaesthetist .... so not sure if that will be a 'surprise' some time in the future .... if it DOES turn up sometime in the future - I will pay it at the same rate as they've sent it - about 6 months later!
I've spent a fair bit on lotions & potions - probably about $300+ - but they are essential to our well being ....
So far, I've had $250 back on Medicare repayments ..... and just heard today of $280 re fuel expenses backwards & forwards to Port Macquarie for my radiation treatment. I have more IPTASS forms to send re fuel rebate, too.
So I reckon my Out of Pocket expenses to date has been about $6000 up til now and still growing slowly ...... plus any PBS charges for my Letrozole - $7 a month for 5 years .... and other incidentals.
https://chf.org.au/out-pocket-pain-closed
The survey had finished before I'd had most of my expenses in!! HOWEVER .....
Because I was keen to get my surgery over & done with back in the middle of January - I went private for the surgery - I knew there would be a 'cost' - but it still 'hurts'. I am not sure how long i would have had to have waited, had I opted for the same surgeon in the Public system .... probably a month or more - but that was going to do my head in - so I went private & ended up with $3500 'out of pocket' expenses after NIB/Medicare for the surgery - but that DID cover reconstruction at the same time as the operation & it was a very neat job. Right now, it is difficult to tell which boob had the surgery as it was all done by isolating the nipple & the surgery was done under the peeled back skin - even the lymph nodes were removed without any outer skin cuts. After removing the tumours (making my right boob a bit smaller than it was previously) - the loose skin was removed & then the nipple was reattached & stitched 360 degrees. The only cut I had for the whole procedure was around the entire nipple.
There was the $450 I had to pay to the private hospital before surgery, as they were not on NIB's 'preferred hospitals' - and that was BEFORE NIB would pay any of the hospital bill - and also an excess of $250 to NIB as well.
$250 oncology bill
$160 re lymphoma check
Then $500 'blowout' of my pathology tests from surgery (for some reason it wasn't covered by Medicare or NIB) ..... not sure why!
I've never received an invoice from my anaesthetist .... so not sure if that will be a 'surprise' some time in the future .... if it DOES turn up sometime in the future - I will pay it at the same rate as they've sent it - about 6 months later!
I've spent a fair bit on lotions & potions - probably about $300+ - but they are essential to our well being ....
So far, I've had $250 back on Medicare repayments ..... and just heard today of $280 re fuel expenses backwards & forwards to Port Macquarie for my radiation treatment. I have more IPTASS forms to send re fuel rebate, too.
So I reckon my Out of Pocket expenses to date has been about $6000 up til now and still growing slowly ...... plus any PBS charges for my Letrozole - $7 a month for 5 years .... and other incidentals.