After undergoing mastectomies, breast cancer patients face years-long waits in the public system for “medically necessary” reconstructive surgery – or crippling out-of-pocket costs in the private system.
“I see scars,” the 42-year-old teacher said of the marks that run across her flat chest. “That’s all I see.”
She has been quoted more than $12,000 in out-of-pocket costs to have the own-tissue breast reconstruction at a private hospital. This does not include additional out-of-pocket fees for the anaesthetist, expected to cost thousands of dollars. Lisa Pratt, from Cooranbong in the Lake Macquarie region of NSW, recently forked out $29,000 in out-of-pocket fees for a double mastectomy and reconstructive breast surgery following a BRCA2 diagnosis, which puts her at heightened risk of breast cancer.
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said this year’s boost to Medicare rebates was the second-largest increase in the past 30 years, with the largest increase last year. David Goldsbury, a statistician from the Daffodil Centre – a Cancer Council NSW and University of Sydney joint venture – recently conducted Australia’s largest study of out-of-pocket costs incurred by cancer patients.Credit:in July, revealed that one in 10 people with cancer in NSW spent more than $10,000 on healthcare in the first year following diagnosis.
Private Healthcare Australia chief executive Dr Rachel David said health insurers worked hard to negotiate “no gap” fee arrangements with private hospitals to ensure members didn’t face out-of-pocket costs.
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