Dr Charlie Mosse & Team

thank you everyone great info

I am being sleeved by Dr Gananadha (AKA Siva, which is soooo much easier to spell) tomorrow, he is the other surgeon working out of Canberra Bariatric.

My costs were $6000 for the surgeon, medicare/private health will apparently refund about i think $800 ish of that from memory. In this cost covers 12 motnsh unlimited visits to surgeon and dietician.

Anaesthetist is going to cost me just under $2000 and medicare/private health will refund about $800 ish of that, again that's from memory.

My private health insurance covers the cost of the hospital, though i may end up with some bills for any blood tests or scans they do, not sure about that but i'll worry about it if and when it happens.

I applied to DHS (APRA has now changed to DHS) to cover my gap fees for surgeon and anaesthetist, which was about $6500 give or take a few dollars. So i won't have any out of pocket except for my hospital excess related to my private health cover which i decided i could cover myself so didn't ask DHS, and potentially any tests done in hospital as mentioned above.

I would presume that Dr Mosse would have a very similar fee structure to Siva, if not exactly the same seeing as they work at the same clinic, but at your appointment you can get a written quote. Also, not sure if the above is the cost of everyone's anaesthetist, i have to have some previous stomach surgery undone at the same time so that i can get my sleeve, so because that will take extra time mine might be a higher cost.

good luck :)

Hi Vampgirl, 2 years, that must be scary! I'm fairly new here but have been looking at sleeve for about 18months, now just waiting for PHI to kick in. I am in Brisbane and going through DR Greenslade, my breakdown is

$4k for gap (so what the surgeon charges over and above what PHI covers, which I believe is a number determined to them by the government. This varies greatly from surgeon to surgeon)
Surgeon assistant - $300
Gas man - unsure yet but can have heard can be up to $2k depending if they charge full cost which I can get rebated or if they just charge the gap
Hospital excess - $450 (HCF cover the rest of the hospital stay and I believe that it is around $15k!!)

I live regionally so will also have travel and accomodation cost. You do get a bit back here and there via through Medicare/tax but that is the outlay.

APAR or whatever the initials are will be Superannuation. Honestly if I was you and was told 2 years I would be looking at funding fully through Super, if you have enough in it. Get quotes from surgeon, hospital etc, get your GP and Surgeon to write letters of support and get it done ASAP. Believe self funding is around $25k but if it is sitting there.....you can only but apply. Remember though dont cancel your health insurance in case you suffered complications

This is the link, you would be looking at compassionate grounds as your condition is life threatening. I read through the accessing super threads, lots of info there as to why people have been declined (so what to and what not to say)

http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/services/centrelink/early-release-of-superannuation

im new to this.
I am seeing Dr mosse soon I am trying to find the funds to have the sleeve done, the receptionist has said that it will cost me like $9000 i was just wondering if someone can tell me if that is about right ?and if you could share who your health funs are as I am with latrob health they said they cover this surgery......
and I was reading some of the posts here and I was wondering if someone could explain what people mean buy APRA being declined means
thanks heaps

I am 28y and I weigh 155kg and I have been told if I don't get the surgery asap I will only have 2 years left so I have to wait the 12 months for the health fund but I hope to have the money this time next year
if any oe can help with the questions I have ask please help and if you have any extra info I am open