Cost of MRI

Hi @angg66, out of pocket costs are definitely on our radar. 
Minister for Health Greg Hunt has established an expert committee, led by the Chief Medical Officer, to investigate this issue. Here is the link to the information on our website about the committee

BCNA is working with the Consumers Health Forum of Australia (CHF) to ensure the committee understands the financial hardship that can result from out-of-pocket medical expenses. You can help us illustrate how bill shock affects thousands of Australians year after year by taking the CHF survey here.

We are also calling on people to share their experience of bill shock. These stories will help us to highlight the extent of the problem and shape solutions for the future. Let me know if you are happy for me to pass your details onto our policy team or you can email them directly at policy@bcna.org.au

Hi @Marianne_BCNA or someone at the BCNA- can I please get a response on this.... Thanks 

Isnt it ridiculous just had a mri 4 my knee and it was free .my gp said mri 4 cancer is not.but figure this one my mri showed 2 tumors in my knee? Im having surgery so what if its cancer did l get a freebie.

Hi @angg66,

I've had the same thing happen  I must say though $1000 is more than what I paid.  My breast lump was very hard to find, the MRI was the only thing that found it.  I wanted another at my 1 years scan as I really didn't trust the mammogram and ultrasound as they both missed it twice.  I was told that I did not fit the criteria for the "high risk group" who can get it bulk billed.
  Apparently the boxes to tick are only for suspected breast cancer or high risk due to close family history.  The poor lady on the other end of the phone when i said "You've got to be f*****g kidding me (my mouth does run off a bit these days) so, because I've had breast cancer I am not high risk, but if I thought I might have it I am???? How the hell do they work that out.  The cost for mine was $575.  And yep, not one dime back through medicare. 
Too bad if you just cant rake up the money.  You just have to wait and see I suppose.  Absolute rubbish if you ask me.  

That’s bullshit! My husband needed a MRI for his knee only last year and we had the specialist write up the referal and it was bulk billed so I don’t understand why you weren’t love that’s just crazy shit right there.  What would of happened if you didn’t have $1000 for the MRI in the first place and I bet you probably had to pull that money from the dying money tree in the back yard in the first place thanks to all the expense of bc! That needs to be sorted and perhaps @marianne can take it to the conference with her next month. I’d be speaking to your local federal member about that for sure love. Margie. Xx

@Marianne_BCNA
can you ask those involved to help answer this ?