Medicare Number for GSV

Subject: to medicare cover 21/01/10, 08:10 pm

ok i have spoken to my surgeon here in wagga wagga and he has told me cause i dont have private health insurance medicare covers my hole surgry he also informed me they only do so many covered a yr by medicare so as it stands im waitin on my refereal from my surgoen in wagga to a surgoen in sydney so they reackon buy the end of next week i will have that cant wait

Subject: Re: Medicare Number for GSV 05/03/09, 11:19 pm

Heya Mary,

I recently went through the process of applying to APRA for early release fo super funds and was approved and have just paid for my upcoming surgery with the funds received....... yay!

If you go back to the Home page and scroll down.....in the "About paying for your Surgery' section .....but there is a topic headed "Accessing your Super"......some fairly useful and informative threads and posts inside..... the warnings from people about getting the letters from your surgeon & GP worded correctly need to be heeded.

Google APRA and follow the links to downloading the application form ...remembering that you will be applying under Specified Compassionate Grounds for Release.....NOT under Financial Hardship Grounds.....and there are some links to handy hints ...etc.

if you need any tips just let me know....just PM me ...... happy to help

~hugs~

_________________

~~ if it is to be then its up to me ~~

height = 5'2" or 152.4cm......I could be a little out here - but close
ticker includes WL of pre-op diet started 2nd March 2009
Sleeved 11th March 2009 by the amazing Dr. Bovey

Subject: Re: Medicare Number for GSV 05/03/09, 03:24 pm

All I know was that when I went to the information evening, I was told (in Sydney) that with health insurance it would cost around $5000 and without insurance it would be around $15,000 - but that would obviously differ from state to state, hospital to hospital and doctor to doctor.

Sort of a guideline though.

Caz

_________________

Height 165 cm - 5' 5"
Mini-goal: 75kg achieved September 29, 2009
Second goal: 67kg achieved January 6, 2010
Third goal: 65kg achieved February 3, 2010
Final goal: 60kg or below (Would that be even possible?)
Doctor Garett Smith
Royal North Shore Hospital

Guest

the sleeve item number wont get you a quote for hospital and theatre fees. This has been explained previously in another post you made which numerous people responded to and I am wondering if you actually read it,

You need to talk to someone who can explain to you how private health insurance and billing works. From reading your posts you have no idea of what you are getting into financially despite a number of helpful replies explaining this to your questions and threads such as this one that actually state the number if you read it

Newbie Number of posts: 5 Age: 56 Location: Perth Registration date: 2009-03-04

Hi there.
I am wondering if someone can help me please. I am needing to have a bit of an idea of how much different surgeons in Perth charge for Gastric Sleeve op?
Unfortunately we don't have private health cover & can't afford to get it, as I am almost 56, the penalty for not being insured at a younger age is too much.
But I am wondering about trying to draw some of my superannuation to use it for the surgery. Before suggesting this to my hubby, I need to have a bit of an idea of how much the op & hospital costs would be, to see if it is a possibility or not.
I had my 2nd appt with SCGH today, at the 1st one, in May last year, the Dr then suggested I go for the sleeve op in preference to lap band,becasue my hubby & I are travelling around Oz & intend being in remote areas for some time, so wouldn't be able to get to a medical centre for fills etc for lap banding.
At todays appt, the Dr informed me that SCGH is now no longer offerring Gastric Sleeve op, only Lap Banding. Was I devistated! The Dr was very nice, he explained it well & obviously it is something that is beyond his control. He went & spoke to one of his colleagues & they suggested I write to hospital stating my case, to see if they might revise the situation.
Anyway - if anyone can help out with some feedback, I would really appreciate it. I imagine different Dr's have their own costs as well, so would imagine there could be a difference between surgeons?
Have other people been down this path & not had private health insurance, but still gone ahead with the op? I would love to hear from you if you have.
Feel free to email me at tradeit989@yahoo.com.au I will answer all replies.
Thankyou for reading this & I wish everyone of you success on your WLJ.
Mary

Subject: Fees 14/02/09, 06:47 am

The Medicare item number is 30511.

My doctor's fees are $7300 upfront and this covers the package from surgery on.
I will get back $1000 from Medicare and $500 from my Top Cover Health Fund.
I have paid $6300 to my surgeon and $1000 to the anaesthetist.

Apart from that I have paid for the Initial Consultation Fee with the surgeon,exercise physioligist,dietician,psychologist plus a follow up surgeons consultation-all pre surgery and claimable at Medicare.The exercise physioligist,dietician,psychologists visits were done with an Enhanced Care Plan-care plan organised by my GP which allowed me to claim $47 back per visit from Medicare.Otherwise they would have gone through my private fund.
ONLY TWO SLEEPS TO GO !!!!
Vicki

Subject: Re: Medicare Number for GSV 07/12/08, 08:29 am

well...that was my goodest english lol!

that was suposed to say... the boys and girls here seem to know the answer...

thats what i get for not proof reading, hahaha

Subject: Re: Medicare Number for GSV 07/12/08, 08:26 am

I have no idea Yools, so i'm waiting for someone to tell you, then we'll both know, lol! :)

Asking questions is good so don't worry about it! The boys and girls here seem to be able to know the answer just about everything.

Bell

Guest

the item number is the same as the medicare number, technically, it's called the item number.

You also have fees for theatre, surgeons fees, drugs used in theatre, drugs used on the ward, pathology - blood tests and any tissue samples sent off for histology and if you have a hernia repair at the same time, there is an item number for that. Then there is the daily bed charge (this is roughly $600), anethetists fee and radiology charges. You are also charged for any therapeutic device, this is generally the ted stockings and calf pump thingies.

Loo roll is covered in bed costs!

Subject: Re: Medicare Number for GSV 06/12/08, 08:02 pm

hiya Snow, i posted this answer back in your intro, but i figured it would be useful here too for future newbies.

the hospital will need to know the GSV medicare item number, to give you the closest estimate as to theatre fees (as each different type of op goes for a different length of time)
and then they can also tell you what their bed fees for 4 days are.

my health insurer SGIO totally covered mr ahmad's surgery and theatre fees and all anaesthetist fees.
I also had my bed fees covered, but i was on the top fund cover, and hospital cover super duper plus.

you know you where you stand as far as bed fees go (not covered), but you also need to ask the hospital about any and all
expected fees and charges relating to your surgery and inpatient stay, including the radiology and pathology services you will need.

as yet, i have not received any bills for these 2 services, and i do not know exactly how much SGIO and medicare will cover
for these two services, but i am expecting full coverage, or only minimal personal outlay and i will post the charges in my diary as soon as i know.

I would then go back to your health fund again with the medicare item number once you have a general quote from SJOG,
and ask your fund again specifically what they will cover for the plan you are on, including inpatient pathology and radiology.
make sure you tell them 'inpatient' as it does make a difference as to what they will pay out on.

other external (outpatient) service charges including nikki the dietician, simon the sporto, and dr marangou the GP/Psych
are covered in detail in my Diary section, and you may find that your fund covers part of them too.
SGIO covered nearly all of this for me, and with their rebate combined with a careplan, all i had to pay was $6 dollars each time instead of $140.
I saved myself $875 by getting a care plan. Care plans are covered in my Diary, and in a thread in this section.

by being as thorough as possible pre-surgery, you'll limit the chance of any bad surprises post-surgery...

you want only good surprises Snow!

_________________

Sleeved: 11 November 2008
Operation weight: 103kg
Current Weight: 49kg
Goal Weight: 50kg
Height: 150cm
Surgeon: Mr Hairul Ahmad SJOG Murdoch Perth

Subject: Re: Medicare Number for GSV 06/12/08, 07:29 pm

Hi Bell,

Thank you so much for the piece of information.

Do I just give this number to my private health insurance? or to the hospital?

I am sorry I ask too many questions, I am really new at this and really want to do the sleeve and in need of tons of information before going through with it.

Thank You,

Yools

Subject: Re: Medicare Number for GSV 06/12/08, 07:11 pm

Hi Yools,

This is the info i have, it doesn't actually call it a 'Medicare Number' but i'm pretty sure its the item number

Procedure: Laparoscopic Sleeve Resection
Item Number: 30511

Bell

Subject: Medicare Number for GSV 06/12/08, 06:20 pm

Hi,

Does anyone in this forum know the medicare number for GSV? So I can just quote the number to the hospital and receive a quotation as to the approximate Fees for the theatre and also the hospital fees.

Thank You in advance,

Yools