Surgeon in Sa or Qlds that will do sleeve with just PHI no other fee or gap

I'm thinking I must have got the doctors prices wrong first time around. I haven't been accepted for surgery yet but my visit to the surgeon this time was bulk billed. I noticed that everyone who went before me (yes, he ran very late) was bulk billed too.

It all sounds good but you have to wonder why the surgeon doesn't charge a gap when everyone else in Australia does...I know the price varies between surgeons but to charge nothing....

Sorry to sound cynical but really I would be going on reputation and if money is an issue I would save that bit longer if it were me.  And not everyone is over the top with charges and you have to consider aftercare and how much support you get from the surgeon and staff etc.

 

 I don't get on here much anymore as life has moved on for me in very positive ways, best thing I ever did.  But if I had to go back and start the process over again I would be asking why.

GL and hope it goes well.

Swayback

Do your homework and go with the one you feel most comfortable with.  I felt some Surgeons were terribly over priced and then they wanted to charge for follow up visits.  Money doesnt grow on trees.  Make sure that all follow up appointments are Bulk Billed.

Unfortunately it does cost to have a consult with everyone you see.!!!!!!!!

Good luck, keep me posted who you go with.

Val

Good luck

I've heard so many good thing about Justin Greenslade but I used to work with him when he was a Registrar and I'd hate to go to someone I'd worked with. He probably wouldn't remember me but still, I'd know.

I'm on a pension, cheap would be good ;-)

Swayback

I live on the Gold Coast and I have heard thru the gape vine that there is a new Surgeon working at Pindara Private.  I was told he does no Gap.

Wish I had of known that, when I was looking I think I rang every Surgeon in the phone book looking for no gap cover

But in the end I went with Justin Greenslade, he was cheaper than everyone else.

Val

My father needed spinal surgery and the neurosurgeon sent him a quote with a $5000 gap between PHI and Medicare. I rang the surgeon and told him that it was too expensive and my father was going to refuse surgery because of the cost. The surgeon suddenly said he would accept gap cover and there would be no out of pocket expenses.

Sometimes you have to be upfront and ask for the gap cover option. Most doctors won't offer unless you say something.

My surgeon allowed me to pay off my out of pocket at the rate of $200 per month - I am trying to get through it faster though. My anaesthetist was very reasonable, $500 all up. So bearing that in mind, maybe see if any surgeons in your area offer this option?

I have never heard of a no-gap option, and believe that recent changes to the medicare rebate for the surgery means overall the costs have gone up (just my impression from some comments I read, I am not certain of this)

look at paying it off or getting a loan, my only advice.

good luck

I know that with some surgery, if you ask the doctor to accept gap cover and they agree, you will have no out of pockets above Medicare and PHI. Having said that, I've never heard of a bariatric surgeon agreeing to accept gap cover. Maybe some one on here knows of some one.

Hi im being given different info from different people yet when I check I seem to keep getting the same answer. The answer being that all surgeons charge a gap or extras or what ever else they wish to call it on top of the top private health cover.
A friend of mine is telling me a surgeon in queensland will do a sleeve surgery with no fee to pay apart from the phi also same person told me some surgeons in SA will reduce the fee/gap.
Has anyone here in this great group experienced this or know of the name of surgeons who will do it. I don't have super as an option so curious to discover if this is true or not.Thanks