Medicare Update for High Risk Breast Screening
Have you had an MRI AND Ultrasound on the same day? Did you receive the Medicare rebate on BOTH items? I think this is more to do with 'new diagnoses' - not existing ones - but if you require an ultrasound AND MRI on the same day - make sure you ask the questions about being able to claim the medicare rebate on BOTH! As of today (1wt July 2026) those having MRI AND Ultrasound, may be able to have them on the same day and claim both the Medicare rebates. Previously - they had to be done on 2 different days to be able to claim both rebates. This will make it more 'time efficient' and less stressful, reducing out of pocket expenses - particularly for rural/regional/remote patients (for example) who would have to have stayed an extra night to have the 2nd procedure otherwise!Anxious wait after MRI
Moderator moved @CeeCee post from 'Activity' section to main Discussion page: CeeCee 9:30am i have not been an anxiety type person before but I am struggling big time. I had an MRI 4 weeks ago where something cracked in my right rib area, since then I have had constant chest/rib pain and struggled to get a full breath. I’m hoping this is anxiety and nothing more sinister. Bone scan booked in this week. i am keeping exercise up as best that I can, doing meditation and getting a daily massage from hubby. Any other suggestions? I was diagnosed with having a 4cm tumour in right breast, booked in for a Mastectomy 14/3. I had DCIS 5 years ago which was surgically removed.
The never ending circle
I literally go from ultrasound to mammogram to mri to ultrasound and then biopsies. This is about my 6th time in 2 years which they say is because of dense breasts. This is getting frustrating and the costs are so high. Has anyone else had this experience. At this stage negative but last two years this keeps happening. Back again for another ultrasound this week after mri.
Here's to all the test's we have to have - a wee jingle I made up - cause well we have to find some
So as some of you may know I'm still going through my second round of breast cancer, and still under going all these tests that my medical have put me though, today I chose to go through my I-Med radiology app to look over how many different producers I've been booked for, and gone through, and I came up with this wee jingle I could turn this into a new version of a Christmas song : you know the one “On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me “ Well in here goes this wee tune "On my second cancer diagnosis my medical team gave to me " 4 cannula’s into the veins for all the contrast dies 3 breast ultrasounds 3 biopsy ( one double, one triple, then a single ) 3 mammograms 2 MRI’s 1 PET Scan 1 MRI guided biopsy 1 genetic test for family history And still no surgery Now tell me you just didn’t sing that tune in your head hopefully that put a smile on your dial , as we try to stay positive and support one another this October, breast cancer awareness month Happy Saturday every one hopefully my medical team will soon know when they want to do the surgery ???
Cysts - pancreas
Hi, I had a successful lumpectomy/radiation 3 years ago and have been cancer free since then. I've been so lucky. However, on the latest 6 monthly blood test, Ca19.9 levels were up and rising, so I was sent for Pet scan (clear of obvious cancer, hooray!). But then another blood test showed they were still going up so I was sent an MRI to check for very small cancers. The surgeon who read the MRI told me that I had small cysts on my pancreas, and that they are harmless now but could turn cancerous. His method for dealing with that is to watch them. I'll be sent for another MRI in a year. He also said the Ca19.9 readings can indicate pretty much anything, from not very significant things to serious, and I'll also be having an endoscopy/colonoscopy to double check. Has anyone out there had a similar situation? I know pancreatic cancer is pretty scary.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. She’s had them before but this one needs to be done at a particular time of the month, and she’s had her uterus removed so no periods. They said if it’s 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 can’t 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 can’t do much more than one.
Scan day freaking sucks......yet again. Probable curse words included.
With only minor trepidation and my shit mostly together I went to clinic today to get my results. I stopped to give a co worker that had just been diagnosed (MOFO BC) a hug and a shoulder to cry on for a bit while we were waiting. I heard my name called and promised her she would get through and I would be happy to help if I could in any way. She thanked me with that smile you put on when you are trying so hard not to burst into tears and your heart is aching as I waltzed on in to the doctors office. Well the whole thing went sideways and turned into me leaving work in a shaky, teary eyed mess. My goodness this thing still rocks you when least expect it. Here we go again with another fucking ambiguous result about the mystical eliptical thingamajjigy that has taken up residence in the rogue boob. Said thingy has decided to grow 2mm in 6 months. BIRAIDS score now moved up from a 3 to a 4 and hey lets poke a needle in it this time. This presents a problem. Considering the MRI is still the only machine that can see thingy (again it can't be felt by anyone either) and it's positioning, it is probable that a biopsy can't be done in the MRI machine. Still waiting on an answer for that one. So do we just poke around in there and try to hit it?? Cut it out or off just for the heck of it? No body is prepared to say it is anything sinister nor are they prepared to say it's not. Seriously, can someone please tell me how, for the love of god, you can have 4 MRI's, 4 mammograms and 6 u/sounds in a period of 12 months and still not know what this is or isn't. So as it sits, back to headlining the MDT on Thursday to get input from group of guru's as quote "my breast don't scan normally". Another targetted u/s on Friday. And wait for an answer on whether the biopsy can be done by MRI. Waiting waiting waiting yet again. Fuckity fuck fuck. I am sick of this roller coaster. I want to get off and my money back. Mental status right now = somewhere between zoned out numbness and seriously pissed off. Strongly considering ostrich tactics at the moment. Thanks for listening. :/Labor & Liberals both promise subsidised MRIs available to Breast Cancer Women
There must be a general election coming up . ...... Both major parties are promising to have subsidised MRIs for women (especially as MRIs have been available to Men with Prostate cancer for some time!) https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/mar/29/both-major-parties-commit-to-extra-funding-for-breast-cancer-mri-scans Both major parties commit to extra funding for breast cancer MRI scans Morrison government to announce $32.6m in next week’s budget while Labor pledges $47m if it wins election Both the major parties are promising additional funding for MRI scans for women with breast cancer. Photograph: Jim Bourg/Reuters Women with breast cancer have secured commitments from both the major parties for additional funding for MRI scans – $32.6m from the Morrison government coming in next week’s budget, and $47m from Labor if it wins in May. The Coalition will use next Tuesday’s budget to create two new Medicare items for MRI of the breast, to be available from 1 November 2019, scans that will enable more accurate diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. If Bill Shorten wins the coming election, Labor is promising to “work with experts” to finalise the design of the new Medicare items that will allow subsidies for scans. Medicare: Labor vows to lift freeze on rebates if it wins federal election Shorten said Medicare already subsidises similar MRI scans for men with prostate cancer – but not for women with breast cancer, except in extremely limited circumstances. “As a result, thousands of women are being charged up to $1,500 in out-of-pocket costs for the scans used to diagnose their cancer, decide on treatment and ensure cancer does not return,” the Labor leader said. The government says creating the Medicare items will benefit 14,000 patients a year.
