jacquena Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 hi there right i have a question thats been worring me , on my dads side of the family there is hereditry bowel cancer and i am the next in line so every 3 years i go get checked out which i have a camera up my bum to check round my bowel, but i was wondering if anyone could tell me how would i go about getting that treatment in oz? do i have to pay if so how much? would i be entitled to that health insurance do you think? just worries i would be able to have it or couldnt aford it or something like that could someone please give me some advise on it please?x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest31881 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Hi, not sure about how it would work in your situation, but there is a screening program in operation and both my wife and myself have been asked to send samples as part of the screening process. If you require colonoscopy every few years then i would think it would be covered by Medicare, but when you get here talk to your doctor. They may refer you to a hospital for the tests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Colonoscomy every couple of years, but we have to pay for it. If you have it done at a public hospital you will not have to pay but you may have to wait longer to get it done. Usually costs us about five hundred dollars. Also the bowel screening as mentioned but not sure if that is for everyone, may be age limit not sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest31881 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 C Also the bowel screening as mentioned but not sure if that is for everyone, may be age limit not sure. It could be age related, possibly over 50's , but not sure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skani Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 When my mother-in-law's cousin developed bowel cancer all her extended family members were recommended to have a checkup, including my husband. He had the procedure you describe at the local public hospital and it did not cost him anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacquena Posted February 5, 2012 Author Share Posted February 5, 2012 When my mother-in-law's cousin developed bowel cancer all her extended family members were recommended to have a checkup, including my husband. He had the procedure you describe at the local public hospital and it did not cost him anything. thats great thankyou, did have to wait longer then normal then? and are the public hospitals as good as the others you pay for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skani Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 My husband didn't have to wait at all and the Gastroenterologist who did the procedure has a private practice but does also work within the public system as a consultant. It may depend on where you settle and how busy the local public hospital is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tisme Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 It could be age related, possibly over 50's , but not sure There is a national bowel cancer screening program currently being done. People who are within the eligible population will be invited to take part in the program. The eligible population is Australians turning 50, 55 or 65 years of age between January 2011 and December 2014, who hold a Medicare card or DVA gold card. Temporary visa holders and temporary residents will not be invited to participate in the program regardless of whether they are in the specified age range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacquena Posted February 6, 2012 Author Share Posted February 6, 2012 well am 28 and were hoping to move to perth area i am due to have another when am 30 so do you think when i get over there just go speack to a doctor and see what he/she says? but in other words i could have it done at a public hospital or pay 500 dollars at a private one? do me and my family need a medicard as soon as we get there and if so were do you get one of thoses from and how much are they? also what is one used for? and do you have to pay to go see your doctor? thankyou. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skani Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 When you arrive apply for a Medicare card as soon as you can. You will have to apply at a Medicare office - you will probably find one in most big shopping centres. You don't have to pay for the card but you will have to provide proof of identity. Your Medicare card allows you to be reimbursed for part or all of most medical consultations or procedures. Normally when you go to see a doctor you will be charged but you then receive a partial refund through Medicare. Some doctors "bulk bill" which means you don't get charged but they accept the Medicare refund as full payment. However bulk billing is really intended for low income groups - pensioners, the unemployed etc. - so you may have difficulty finding a doctor who will bulk bill if you are not in those categories. If the procedure was done at a private hospital you would get some reimbursement through Medicare. When you arrive have a talk to a General Practitioner and they can discuss the alternatives for wherever you are living. It is difficult to generalise because much of the health system here is administered by the different states and some public hospitals are busier than others. One thing you don't have to do here is register with a particular General Practitioner. You can go to any doctor you like - so if you are not happy with the first one you try or you move to a different area you are quite free to go to a different GP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelP Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 If you are concerned you can buy inexpensive (?$40) bowel cancer screening kits from the local pharmacy through a Rotary program and test yourself every year, if that would give you peace of mind. Not sure how it works but if you have a high hereditary risk of bowel ca I'm sure your GP would be happy to arrange regular screening checks. Depends wher you live though - in some areas there are long waiting lists to see a gastroenterolgist for colonoscopy. I heard Adelaide had a program where nurse practitioners had been trained to do colonoscopies and ran their own screening clinics. Best starting point would be to check with your local GP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacquena Posted February 7, 2012 Author Share Posted February 7, 2012 thankyou thats a great helpso your advise to go speack to a doctor and see what they say? anyway thankyou all for helping do you all save up something each other just incase to have to pay anything out for whatever reason? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skani Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 do you all save up something each other just incase to have to pay anything out for whatever reason? Not sure if I am understanding you correctly but, yes, it's wise to have some savings for backup so that you can pay the difference between the medical bill and the Medicare refund. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacquena Posted February 7, 2012 Author Share Posted February 7, 2012 yes thats what i mean how much roughly does someone save up? do you have to pay for kids aswell or does kids have there medicals covered? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skani Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 No, you pay for kids as well unless you can find a doctor who bulk bills everyone. Everyone's medical needs and bills are so different that it's impossible to say what you would need saved. I just pay every bill (including medical) with a credit card, then pay the credit card off each month so I've never thought about it as "saving" for medical expenses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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