scuffythetugboat Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 The Australian health system is good if you have the money to pay for it. Having the money, whether it be from your pocket or insurance, will get you treated straight away. If you have to rely on the public system and your problem is not life threatening then you may wait a very long time to be treated. I have been in many situations when a surgeon has said that he can do a procedure next week if I pay for it, otherwise I would have to wait months or years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blossom Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Thank you for your responses. I will talk to the doctor on Thursday about some of the other options. I learnt pdq to ask about bulk billing options for referrals. I go to a bulk billing gp practice and they still refer you to places who don't bulk bill if you don't ask. Also, you have to tell these places you have a health care card for them to bulk bill. It's not done automatically just because you have the card. I did once have a gp tell me for strange skin blisters (which turned out to be an allergy to lime trees) that if they got worse to go to A&E! I was like 'for blisters????' He said yes! Crazy. I also had kidney issues when pregnant and the renal Dr told me the next time I had pain that I should go to A&E and tell them I needed surgery and they would send me to him. It seems it's more of a common practice here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janlo Posted June 2, 2015 Author Share Posted June 2, 2015 Perhaps AJ just better understands the Australian system. It is not intended to be completely free at the point of service for all, but there are provisions for those that cannot pay (like bulk billing), rather than don't want to pay. It isn't the NHS. Australia is a different country and has a differnt system. well yes I will be honest I am going to find the $120 a bit hard to find right now and have now received some great advice from most....AJ not being one of them! Lol. It was a bulk billing centre so I'm going to look into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish.01 Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 (edited) Perhaps AJ just better understands the Australian system. It is not intended to be completely free at the point of service for all, but there are provisions for those that cannot pay (like bulk billing), rather than don't want to pay. It isn't the NHS. Australia is a different country and has a differnt system. Hospitals and outpatients specialist clinics are intended to be free at point of service to those who don't want to pay. It is similar to the NHS in this regard. Edited June 2, 2015 by fish.01 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janlo Posted June 2, 2015 Author Share Posted June 2, 2015 (edited) well it obviously isnt if he hasnt admitted you to hospital. Seems like your just trying to get out of paying. what you going to do exaggerate your symptoms? I had heart failure 6 years ago and require frequent scans, consultant visits and medication, I have to pay for mine, thats the way the health system works, It's not really the way the system works for some . I know of 2 people who are getting the best treatment for serious for conditions....they don't pay a thing, all Medicare. I admit mine is a referral only at this stage albeit from a bulk billing centre. And I must also admit it confuses the pants off me ! Edited June 3, 2015 by blossom Fixing quote Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phenol Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Being sent for a heart monitor test following a referral from the doctor . It's gonna cost me $240. With Medicare rebate I will probs be paying about $120. Dont want to sound a bludger but what if I didn't have $120, would I just go to the local A and E and be treated ? I think you will just end up wasting your own time if you do this. I am not quite sure what the heart monitor test refers to but I imagine it would be either a treadmill test or 24hour heart tracing, neither of which will happen in an emergency department. Good luck with your test and hope things work out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 My recent experience. 10 days ago, I bust my knee. Don't know how. Just woke up unable to use my right leg. On the Monday the doc refered me to see a specialist as it seemed I might have torn something. At this point I was cursing as had top of the range private health until just 3 days earlier when we dropped it for financial reasons. So, I am thinking I am either going to have a long wait / face a big bill. Wednesday comes - two days later and the orthopaedic surgeons secretary called to check my details. Friday she called again to say my appointment would be Tuesday 9:30 am. (Yesterday and just 8 days from seeing the doc). Had the appointment. Cost zero. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maruska Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 I think he referred you for a Holter monitor - it`s a 24 hour ECG monitor that they hook up at outpatient cardiology, you go home with it and come back within 24 hours. It records your heart rhythm over 24 hours. A&E doesn`t provide this test. If he wants just a regular ECG, that can surely be done in a GP`s office ( and free). Try not to panic, if your GP had suspicion of anything serious, you would have been admitted. Good luck . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 so if the doctor thought it was urgent he would have sent me to hospital where it's free ? If you have a problem with your heart that's bad enough for you to need to go to emergency you would probably be going by ambulance and I'm sure you'd know about it. What has the doctor noticed that makes him think you need a checkup? A few years ago we had a new coffee machine at work and I was having about 4 cups a day because it was free. I am getting on a bit, 62 now but was in my mid 50's when it happened, do lots of exercise played squash about 3 times a week. I started getting arrhythmia, type of feeling my heart was missing a beat. I have a very low resting heart rate, about 40, so I can really feel when something,s not right. I put up with it for months thinking it would go off. My wife's a nurse and I knew she would suggest going to hospital or the docs. After a few months it didn't seem to be going off and I went to the docs who sent me to a heart specialist. Cost a fair bit, can't remember how much but they were very thorough. Had a few tests including a doppler where you see the blood flow through the heart, valves opening and closing and they gave me a DVD of the recording after. Turns out that there was nothing physically wrong and the doctor asked how much coffee I drank. He told me to cut back on that and also keep down on chocolate, chillies and cheese. I am partial to chocolate and cheese as well as coffee. I don't know whether it was the good report from the doctor, as I felt better as soon as I came out of the rooms, or just that I was making the situation worse through anxiety. I cut down on the coffee, only have one cup in the morning now and the symptoms stopped that week. Might be something as simple as that but I would be willing to pay the money to find out. Your heart has to last a long time hopefully and what do you have if you don't have your health. I would be willing to give up a few things if it meant a good checkup and finding out if there is anything really wrong. If there is you may as well get it fixed too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janlo Posted July 2, 2015 Author Share Posted July 2, 2015 Update.....the holster monitor cost $60 only as Medicare paid the rest. Referred to a cardiac specialist following the result who I saw today...bulk billed. Mild beta blocker prescribed ($6.99)due to "troublesome" irregular heartbeats. Advised nothing serious, probs stress related so happy patient and great service ...well done Australia !! Thank you all for your replies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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