public waiting list for reconstruction

Yes Margie. I do have private health cover. Decided to get treated publicly due to the reputation of oncologists at Peter Mac and haven't been disappointed. However, I am using my private cover, just in a public hospital. The government pays the hospital extra money if patients go private (because this ultimately costs the government less). This means you get the benefit of the public health system, with all the advantage of private health cover. Lots of people are doing this these days, but my guess is that sometime in the near future they will put a stop to it!