hi everyone, just wanted to get some advice please if anyone can help. I was diagnosed with early breast cancer in 2014, had treatments in 2015, we have private health insurance then and now, we are struggling to pay the private cover now due to hubby being unable to work due to ill health, my questions is if we drop the private health cover which we have had for 17 years, how do you go with the public system Should the cancer return? Are you seen straight away ect, any advice would be appreciated, tia Glynnis

Hi Glynnis, do you still have your Private Surgeon?? and do you see them yearly? Just wondering if you can do your yearly with them, obviously it would cost you, but then ask in the event it happened again who'd they recommend. My Surgeon is private, I've had him 6 yrs and 2 diagnosis, i did treatment private but a year after I finished I did a Mastectomy/diep flap through public as he works there too, so I kept him and a Plastic Surgeon he works with and no out of pocket. Melinda xo

Thanks Melinda yes we still have it at the moment, yes can still see my surgeon and oncologist, will ask that question too if the do public, just out of interest do you still have your private health? If so who are you with? We are looking into other providers for costs etc thinking about taking just a single cover out.

Glynnis, I actually did the iselect around tax time. I was with NIB and now I am with HCF, basic hospital and extras. I'd definitely ask them, as then you can just do your normal appts with them and if anything ever happened you'll have some recommendations. You may never need them again either :) xx

Thanks again Melinda, yes have looked at HCF, yes we hope none of us ever need it again take care

@Glynnis, I am a public patient with other preexisting medical conditions including an overlap of three different autoimmune diseases. Whilst in hospital for multiple tests to establish the extent of internal damage (heart, lungs, kidneys etc), from one of them, the breast cancer turned up in a chest CT scan. Straight away, that is that same day, my rheumatologist handed me over to oncology and a breast surgeon. He said that he would have to then take a back seat and that the cancer took priority. The next few days was a flurry of every test you can think of, biopsies, bone scans, you name it I had it. Cost to me...$00.00. I had a port put in and chemo started within two weeks from diagnosis. Surgery was booked and in place to happen as soon as the chemo was finished. Continuing Herceptin for another 17 cycles altogether. Yes, I didn't get to choose my surgeon or my oncologist, but if I had, how would I have known who to choose? During my AC chemo, I spent a total of 56 days in hospital due to severe side effects as well as it interacting with my other medical issues. After my bilateral mastectomy, the day after Anzac day, I spent 11 days in ICU and then another 5 days on the general ward. Cost to me $00.00. I have had some charges for drugs to take before my chemo, as well as the Neulasta injections I had to have for the neutropaenia. These were covered under the PBS and the most I paid was $38.80 per script. I am now also having physiotherapy as well as hydrotherapy, again as a public patient. Cost to me $00.00. I am very grateful for the treatment I have received and which I am entitled to. This is what I (previously), and my husband, still currently pays taxes and the Medicare Levy for.

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melclarity
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8 years ago
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Glynnis, I actually did the iselect around tax time. I was with NIB and now I am with HCF, basic hospital and extras. I'd definitely ask them, as then you can just do your normal appts with them and if anything ever happened you'll have some recommendations. You may never need them again either :) xx
Glynnis
Member
8 years ago
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Thanks Melinda yes we still have it at the moment, yes can still see my surgeon and oncologist, will ask that question too if the do public, just out of interest do you still have your private health? If so who are you with? We are looking into other providers for costs etc thinking about taking just a single cover out.
melclarity
Member
8 years ago
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Hi Glynnis, do you still have your Private Surgeon?? and do you see them yearly? Just wondering if you can do your yearly with them, obviously it would cost you, but then ask in the event it happened again who'd they recommend.

My Surgeon is private, I've had him 6 yrs and 2 diagnosis, i did treatment private but a year after I finished I did a Mastectomy/diep flap through public as he works there too, so I kept him and a Plastic Surgeon he works with and no out of pocket.

Melinda xo

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