candt Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Hi All Sorry if this is a silly question but how does the medical system work in Australia? I have looked at the basic medical cover for a 457 visa but it doesn't cover GP, dental or optical visits. Are those on a pay per visit basis? Also my husband is a diet controlled type 2 diabetic, so would he need an extra policy or just pay per visit? Can anyone spell out how it works and advise on the most cost effective way to proceed. Thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xlornax Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Im on 457..got a medicare card for free and I dont pay to see the gp..im frm the uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Private insurance usually doesnt cover GP visits or drugs. The majority of Perth GP's now need some payment and the bulk bills are rarer by the month. I pay about $32 on top for a visit. I would definatly get dental as dental costs here can be HUGE. The best policy for 457 holders is BUPA visitors cover as this in the only one that 457 holders can get the tax break with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiveAGirlShoes Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Just incase you don't already know, test strips and what not aren't available on prescription as such in Australia so you may want to check out http://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/ndss/ . I'm type 1 and still in the UK so I'm not a wealth of information but I remembered the scheme when I saw your post x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 With type 2 your major cost is going to be medication depending on how many pills your husband takes. They are mostly over $30.00 per month. If he is on insulin he may be able to register as a diabetic but have to do that through a doctor that way he may be able to get assistance with strips and things and six months insulin supply for the price of one months meds. https://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/provider/pbs/pharmacists/pricing.jsp Have a look at the Medicare site. My daughter is a type 1 diabetic and her specialist charges $250.00 a visit and she gets some back from medicare but has to pay the rest herself. Hers is dearer since she lives near the city centre and as a rule of thumb for some reason they all charge a lot more. Up until she was 25 she was looked after at the hospital but now she can be in a clinic at the hospital but the waiting around and times are not suitable to work. Also you will need to check the PBS list to see if the medication your oh is on is available here as we do have differences in medicines here. Also we do not call them the same names we go by the brand name rather than the drug name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BertieBear Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Hi. The poster states her husband is diet-controlled diabetic. So is probably not on tablets. He may or may not record his blood sugar level (they are called "BSL" in Aus). There is a pharmacy subsidy programme that cheapens lancets and test strips for you. There isn't a set standard of care monitoring regimen in Aus, as in your GP doesn't urge you to come for your hba1c blood tests, podiatry or retinopathy screening. So your husband should expect to be proactive in these areas. Bertie Bstandardised Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiveAGirlShoes Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Hi. The poster states her husband is diet-controlled diabetic. So is probably not on tablets. He may or may not record his blood sugar level (they are called "BSL" in Aus). There is a pharmacy subsidy programme that cheapens lancets and test strips for you. There isn't a set standard of care monitoring regimen in Aus, as in your GP doesn't urge you to come for your hba1c blood tests, podiatry or retinopathy screening. So your husband should expect to be proactive in these areas. Bertie Bstandardised Would you have to see an endo for HbA1c or could this be arranged with a blood test by a GP? Podiatrists shouldn't be too hard to come by; you'll definitely want to research retinopathy screenings though I would think! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BertieBear Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 GP for hbA1c. Endocrinologists don't routinely get involved with straightforward diet-controlled diabetics. There ARE guidelines produced for GPs in Australia, but there is not the same monetary incentive to stick to them as there is in the UK. I'd ask around your area in Aus when you arrive and find a GP with an interest in diabetes. It's important to keep it well controlled, to prevent future complications. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest littlesarah Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Personally, as someone who has worked with people with diabetes for a long time, and one who currently has a form of diabetes, I would always encourage the person with diabetes to be the one who takes control of managing their condition. Make sure you get your HbA1c checked on time, and make sure you understand what the value means and how it reflects your blood glucose control. Any podiatrist should be able to perform an annual assessment, but personally I'd look for a practice that has a Doppler for vascular assessment and preferably one that uses toe brachial index to assess blood supply to the toes. (And I wouldn't expect to pay extra for those tests, unless they were offering a cheap simple assessment!) The GP should also be checking BP, lipid profile and renal function too; and of course, regular retinal screening is also advised (the optometrist can do that, I believe). Interestingly, though, the evidence shows that postprandial blood glucose is a better indicator of the likelihood of future complications than HbA1c, and most people with type 2 tend to take only their early-morning reading (which gives very little clue about what their control is really like). I would advise my patients to take their BGL 1- or 2- hours after the start of a meal on some days (if they're monitoring daily, which is the minimum that I would do). Many (if not most) patients I see don't seem to understand what values they should be aiming for, so I think for a lot of people they're not really well enough informed to take control of their condition and make sure they minimise their risk of complications. But I guess my attitude is very much informed by my understanding of the condition, and my experience of trying to manage some of the complications. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiveAGirlShoes Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 As a type 1 I found the information I was given at first was poor but it has improved somewhat with the likes of DAFNE (dose adjustment for normal eating). This gives you the tools you need to make an informed decision, but for type 2 such useful tools do not seem to exist. It seems ludicrous to me give the cost of type 2 diabetes on health care services; prevention should be the focus of this money to negate the need to spend money on cure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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