š£Have you experienced differences in surgical quotes? Weād love to hear from you.
Weāre looking to connect with our members living in Victoria who have received one quoted fee for surgery, and then either secured or discovered a lower cost elsewhere. Your experience can help highlight why greater transparency in healthcare costs is so important. šæ These insights will support advocacy efforts around the need for a transparent costs register, a topic very important to us here at BCNA that we will be working towards later this year. If this sounds like you, or someone you know, please comment below "learn more" to share your experience. Every story makes a difference in creating a fairer, more informed system for all. āØ
Reconstruction Costs
Donāt know why or what planet I was on, but I thought if you had breast cancer your reconstruction would be covered, as it wasnāt classed as cosmetic surgery. Well apparently I am so wrong. If I was to continue on the Private Patient path what would the be possible cost give or take. Or would I be best going on the Public waiting list and of so is anyone here in Brisbane who might know approximately how long the wait list is I had hoped to get a reconstruction next year, Iāve just been warned that itās expensive so not sure I can afford it now. Which is leading me to think and wish I had asked for a DMX and I would have just gone flat š¢ donāt get me wrong, even though Iāve only got the temporary crocheted prosthesis, I find it hot and it just doesnāt look good no matter how much I try and play with the stuffing š³, Iām just not that comfortable in my own skin to go out without the look of being close to even
Cost of private radiotherapy
I reduced private health cover due to being single with mortgage . Now Iāll need radiotherapy after surgery . Iām a teacher so hoping to do private - but- have to ring health fund Monday. Public long way from home and I live alone . Any idea on approximate costs if I choose to go private over public... so many decisions ... thank you š
OUT OF POCKET COST FOR DIEP.
I had reconstruction with implants in 2012. I have just found out my left implant has ruptured. I am in a private health fund and was looking at DIEP instead of implants again, but was told the cost is $20,000. I don;t know what I will get back from my health fund and Medicare. Anyone had it done private and can give me an idea on outer pocket expense. Can not wait to go on Public waiting list. Debbie
Radiotherapy
Hi..6 months in, and only on letrozole..had a course of other tablets ( can't recall, starts with pl..) Was told chemotherapy, then radiotherapy, had one scan after the other and biopsy.. Now saying 5 weeks of radiotherapy, anyone had similar?? Need information please on alternatives if any, side effects, etc..can't be gone for 5 weeks daily from home ( SN son), but need to apparently.. Its also an hours drive each way to closest hospital that offers it, so train or coach everyday, and long wait for return home..community transport will cost $250 a week( can't do that)..any information would be greatly appreciated.. Hope your journey has brought a happy ending.
Testing question
My 44 year old daughter has been treated at Wesley Brisbane for cysts in her breasts for years. Now they have found something suspicious in her breast and want to do MRI. Sheās had them before but this one needs to be done at a particular time of the month, and sheās had her uterus removed so no periods. They said if itās not the right time, they will repeat it. She can no longer afford all this. She rang breastscreen and they said all they can do is book a mammogram for October, which is twelve months since her last one ( when Wesley found this lump). Her GP said she needs the MRI but canāt order a bulk billed one. Does anyone know where she goes from here. Neither of us want her to wait till October. She will pay for one MRI if needed but canāt do much more than one.Public or Private (please help!!)
After diagnosis of High Grade DCIS with Mastectomy required. My husband and I are both on the aged pension, and have struggled to maintain private health insurance. I live in a rural area which has no access to reconstruction surgery in the private or public system so I need to go to Melbourne. What worries me a lot is the gap fees if I have to go private because of the need to act fairly quickly. I would love to chat with anyone that can help me with information on how it all works and any idea of the cost process. Thanks
Completely overwhelmed
so, found lump a week ago, had biopsy 3 days later after mammogram and ultrasound. Had to wait to today for results. Thought was going to have lumpectomy and radiation but today told it's a triple negative high grade tumour so seeing oncologist next week to talk about chemo. feel very under researched! I had spent the intervening days looking at all the lumpectomy reading and therapy, now feel like I have hit by a truck... my main worry (after the cancer and my kids) is costs, I do not understand how the health system works for cancer. My consultant has sent me to a private oncologist, is this normal? I have bupa (who, when I thought it was lumpectomy said they cover costs) but I don't know what they pay. I am having CT and bone scans on Monday, and I know there is a rebate on that. I am just so confused, just wanted to talk, thanks X
