Save money - Public vs Private for Radiation

It all depends where you live. Radiation therapy is free in the public system, my hospital claimed direct from Medicare and I received a cheque made out to my Radiation Oncologist that I had to take back to the hospital. In Victoria there is a public admitted patients agreement between Western Radiation Oncology Centre in Footscray and also the Murray Valley Radiation Oncology Centre in Wodonga where they accept a number of public patients and treat them under the public umbrella - costs worked out between the two systems, but no cost to the patient.

Perhaps the same agreement operates in other states and that is why some who are treated at a private clinic pay and others treated at another private clinic don't pay.

The out of pocket expenses vary greatly depending on the type of cancer being treated with breast cancer costs being in the mid-range.

It's hard to insist when your referring Oncologist wants you to go private for radiation and to overcome the horrific stories they tell about the public system to put you off, but it is your right to choose where you are treated. A friend of mine was told that a public radiation centre in Melbourne (only a few minutes walk from her home) had long waitng lists and it was very hard to get into etc. etc. She insisted, had her planning CT scan within the week and is currently in the middle of her 6 week course. You need to be your own advocate in this, but it does depend on where you live.

With love

Joy K