DXB2OZ Posted February 9, 2015 Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 Just been to see a medical specialist. Top of his field, waited six months for this appointment. Paid nothing at all as it was all (every last cent) covered by the public health system. Wow!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nev Posted February 9, 2015 Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 Yep, public medical in Auz is fantastic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SML Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 That's interesting that you posted this, have just chatted to someone who lives in perth & she said the opposite! She told me that the only things that are paid for on Medicare are GP visits & investigations like blood tests or mammograms but as soon as anything is prescribed or if you have to see a specialist then you pay big money!! She is getting her passport at the end of the year & then moving back. She also went on about the awful youths & how she can't wait to move back to her life here. Glad to hear your experience!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faduv Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 If so awful, why wait for passport.............. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DXB2OZ Posted February 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 I will go one step further. Took my son to Monash this morning for a bone density scan and hand X-ray (he is very small for his age). Two separate depts, fancy expensive equipment (the bone density scanner is sort of like a down scaled MRI). Lovely people everywhere, friendly greeting, took time to explain to my son what was going on, stopped afterwards to show him what his bones looked like, in and out in 45 minutes and the only thing I had to pay for was the parking.SML, you definitely need to chat to some other people as I know I am not alone in this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SML Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 I thought that would be the case! I just nodded & said oh dear. I also told her that one has to weigh up the pros & cons of different places & work out which cons you are willing to live with. I have a feeling she will be in for a rude awakening on her return. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmNew Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 One wonders when reading about the polar opposite experiences described in this topic if the 'bad state medical experience' isn't just an excuse being formulated to justify the move back to avoid admitting that it was perhaps other factors that are precipitating the move back ( for example can't live without the bells and whistles that most middle class people have in SA ) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riekie Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 It will only be 100% covered if your specialist bulk bills. Medicare only refunds an amount of $65 on 1st consultations and $32 on follow up visits. The average specialist in Australia do not charge bulk bill rates and the initial consultation fee could be up to $300 and sometimes even more! Your private health cover does not pay for the difference (called "the gap") either. Same goes for surgery - your health fund will pay most (or all) of the hospital costs, depending on your plan, but for the surgeon and anaethetist, medicare will pay a miniscule amount, your health fund will cover a certain % and you're out of pocket for the rest. If your health fund pays 80% or 90% of surgeon's fees, read the small print: it is 80% or 90% of the scheduled rate, not the rate the surgeon charge (unless they bulk bill or charge scheduled rates, which very few do). Anaethetists charge on average $450 per hour or part thereof - medicare will cover about $200 of that and your health fund about $60 - the rest is for your account. The average surgeon fee is $2000+ for a minor surgery (eg wisdom teeth removal). Between Medicare and your health fund you'll get back about 40%-50% of that. The only way you won't pay anything is in a public hospital, using a bulk bill surgeon and bulk bill anaethetist or if you go to a bulk bill specialist or doctor. If you choose to be a public patient, you go on a waiting list for surgery and if your condition is not life threatening, you don't get 1st pick. In most cases you will also not be able to choose your surgeon, unless your surgeon is doing a bulk bill procedure in a public hospital. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SML Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 Thanks Riekie, so the person I spoke to wasn't totally wrong. I'm Sure the public health over there is loads better than the government hospitals here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mara Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 I just saw my eye specialist this week. This was a follow up visit, including tests. Cost me $185 of which I am told I will get around $90 back from Medicare. HOWEVER, if you go to a bulk billing doctor, they will often refer you to a specialist that works within the confines of a hospital clinic. The problem is, it could take you six months just to get an appointment. So unfortunately if you have a need to see someone soon, then you will have to cough up.Now with regard to x-rays and ct-scans etc. If you know where to go in Victoria, there are certainly radiologists that bulk bill, you do not have to go and pay megabucks for it. I know that for a fact as I use them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OubaasDik Posted February 14, 2015 Report Share Posted February 14, 2015 Someone here (was it Bob?) mentioned that his wife needed a back operation and they went private, because, although it was available on Medicare, the waiting list was about 6 months and he was worried about the effect of the painkillers on her liver over the course of the 6 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Posted February 14, 2015 Report Share Posted February 14, 2015 (edited) Thanks Riekie, so the person I spoke to wasn't totally wrong. I'm Sure the public health over there is loads better than the government hospitals here.The person you spoke to probably was totally wrong about what the public system covers...it fully covers all specialists and hospital treatment. The only caveat, as others have mentioned, is that you have varying wait times, some that are acceptable and some that are not so many choose to go private. These varying wait times are common with all public health systems though and masses of people still go fully public and free, especially people with lower incomes.If paying gaps etc it means you have gone into the private system which medicare still contributes some money to. Because medicare pays into the private system as well some people get confused thinking the private system "is" the public system. They often don't realise that if you are not an obvious candidate for public health many GP's will refer you to the private system by default if you don't ask for public. Edited February 14, 2015 by Fish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SML Posted February 14, 2015 Report Share Posted February 14, 2015 Sounds similar to the UK. Definitely doesn't put me off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Posted February 14, 2015 Report Share Posted February 14, 2015 (edited) Sounds similar to the UK. Definitely doesn't put me off!Similar public system but the govt makes laws that push more into private insurance so I think more use private over here than in the UK so it probably does end up costing you more money (or at least the potential to spend more money if not careful) but get faster service. The other difference is GP's are all private here where they are public in the UK. Greater than 80% of visits to a GP are bulk billed (which means free) but it doesn't feel that way if you live in an area with low bulk billing rates and you are a working adult. If you do go for a procedure in a private hospital you can ask whether the specialist/surgeon will treat you as a No Gap patient. Most private insurers have a list of specialists who have taken on some No Gap patients in the past. I always ask and have had only one refusal ever. If you are No Gap then any ancillary specialists they use in the surgery (eh anaesthetist) will often charge No Gap or low gap as well. Edited February 14, 2015 by Fish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwerty Posted February 16, 2015 Report Share Posted February 16, 2015 Not sure about the interest that (some) bulked billed doctors have in helping their patients. My daughter had a recurring chest infection last year and she wasn't getting better after 4 or so visits to the a nearby medical practice. Prescribed loads of antibiotics to treat the symptoms and not the cause. Took her to a Dr that doesn't bulk bill and found him to me more interested in an immediate and long-term solution. Happily paid the $70 for the 2 visits (got $37 back from Medicare for each visit).Went to see a bulk bill Dr close to where I work last week... got prescribed antibiotics without a physical examination. Measured my blood pressure and that was it... nothing else. Asked me if I wanted to test for low iron, etc...err I don't know, you're the doctor, you tell me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nev Posted February 16, 2015 Report Share Posted February 16, 2015 Yea bulk bill doctors need to churn through patients to make their money, you are going to them because they are cheap not because they are good, much better service and advice if you paying for it.I will never go to a bulk billed GP again if i can help it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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