Should I Wait for Public Surgery or Go to Private Surgery?

Litsnotmeitsyou on 07/05/2021 - 06:28
Last edited 07/05/2021 - 09:40 by 1 other user

I have private health cover with $500 excess. My ortho surgery is something not urgent. If I was to decide to wait, it'll be probably 6 months before surgery.

The doctor I'm seeing at the outpatients is a consultant. The private doctor I was seeing is also a consultant. Due to the strange Multiple Operation Rule, I'll have to pay a gap. My worry is will I get the consultant doing the surgery if I was to go through the public route or a registrar? Same with the anaesthetist. Private all up maybe $800 out of pocket but this option can happen in 3 weeks time instead of 6 months.

Not a whole lot for the assurance I'll be operated on by that specialist, but wondering if I'm correct if I do go the public route, a trainee specialist will operate? There is also the option of private patient public hospital but unsure of whether that guarantees the consultant does the surgery.

Health & Beauty

Comments

  • holdenmg on 07/05/2021 - 07:02
    +3

    Ask them who, what, where, when and why…

  • Hardlyworkin on 07/05/2021 - 07:04
    +11

    If you go public, you won't get the work experience kid operating on you! Public in Australia is great apart from the waiting period.

    • boomramada on 07/05/2021 - 08:20
      +2

      No, quite the opposite. Public you get the work experience kid and in private, work experience kid's team leader.

      • buckster on 07/05/2021 - 13:24
        +2

        Public you roll the dice. You might get the reg, or you might get the best doc in the state.

        Private ensures you get the doc you want, but obviously you're not getting private surgery for free.

    • triviums on 07/05/2021 - 08:24
      +2

      My experience with the waiting period has been great so far.

      Minor non-urgent surgery waiting period was about 5 months. This includes the COVID elective surgery shutdown period. For Major non-urgent surgery, the waiting period was less than a month.

    • itsnotmeitsyou on 07/05/2021 - 10:01

      Lol I get what you mean I just don't want to regret saving $800 when it could mean a better outcome with the more experienced surgeon.

  • thatonethere on 07/05/2021 - 08:03
    +2

    With private you may get a better (maybe a nicer room and select the dr of your choice) and faster experience but also (from my experience) you can get an identical experience to public buy have just paid for the pleasure.

    • itsnotmeitsyou on 07/05/2021 - 10:02

      My want would be the consultant to do the surgery. Did that happen for you?

  • pantsparty on 07/05/2021 - 08:13
    +3

    I would definitely go private. $800 is not that much money to have your health issue resolved now instead of waiting 6 months.

    • itsnotmeitsyou on 07/05/2021 - 10:03

      The wait is not the issue to be honest, it's more selection of doctor.

      • pantsparty on 07/05/2021 - 18:36

        Then private is the obvious answer. Not sure why you even had to ask this question on Ozbargain given the answer is so obvious.

        • itsnotmeitsyou on 07/05/2021 - 21:32

          I have learned from here that anaesthetist fee isn't so black and white. I have to enquire with surgeon office and phi what it cost me out of pocket for their services.

  • jjjaar on 07/05/2021 - 08:27
    +9

    Are you sure it’s just $800? That sounds like the out of pocket cost for the anaesthetist itself.

    • Kangal on 07/05/2021 - 08:41
      +7

      I'm also skeptical. If it's a "small" sum, then yeah just go private and get it out of the way.
      Otherwise, you'll feel like an idiot who pays for private health but never uses it.

    • tyarrhea on 07/05/2021 - 09:30
      +2

      I agree. $800 gap seems very low. My wife recently had an overnight stay at a private hospital for a minor throat surgery. The anaesthetist gap itself was over $1000 and the surgeon's gap was $2000. With private, the doctors will charge way above the Medicare scheduled fees and most private health funds will only cover up to those scheduled fees, anything above will form part of your gap.

      • itsnotmeitsyou on 07/05/2021 - 10:07

        I researched all the specialists on the PHI and found this specialist doesn't charge above the gap. PHI covers the anaesthetist fees, no? That's what they told me…

        • buckster on 07/05/2021 - 13:25

          It covers them, up to a reasonable limit. Generally you can check how much gap there might be by asking the surgeons/anaesthetist rooms to check as they don't always disclose their fees, just the gaps

          Edit: missed your reply below, soz

    • itsnotmeitsyou on 07/05/2021 - 10:05
      +1

      Yes. $300 gap + $500 excess. It would've just been the $500 if not for the Multiple Operation Rule. I've been told by my PHI that anaesthetist fee is fully covered by them.

      • Love a bargain on 07/05/2021 - 13:59

        Have you obtained a quote from the anaesthetist? Your PHI won't be able to guarantee that there won't be a gap without such quote since it's up to the anaesthetist to decide whether they want to charge you anything over the scheduled fee (which is what the PHI & Medicare will cover between them).

        • sam-1966 on 07/05/2021 - 17:47

          I agree with this! Our daughter had spinal fusion and the health fund said they could cover the anaes if he agreed to fund gap…he didn't. Spinal surgeon gap was $500. Anaes out of pocket was nearly $3,000 - and only because we paid quickly. Otherwise closer to $4,000 or so.

          Don't trust the health fund on this - talk to the specialists.

          • fredblogs on 07/05/2021 - 18:16

            @sam-1966: how did the fusion go?

            • sam-1966 on 07/05/2021 - 19:46

              @fredblogs: Brilliantly - fused T5 - L1, walked the next day and has thrived ever since.

              • fredblogs on 07/05/2021 - 21:25

                @sam-1966: Wow, must have had pretty serious symptoms to need so many levels fused.

                • sam-1966 on 11/05/2021 - 11:56

                  @fredblogs: Approx 46% curve and now less than 10%. Her surgeon was amazing. We could not believe how quickly she recovered.

    • mini2 on 07/05/2021 - 09:06
      +5

      OP pays the Medicare levy like everyone else then why shouldn't they get to use the system once in a blue moon?

      • Duckie2hh on 07/05/2021 - 09:34
        -5

        The Medicare levy is there to support the less fortunate. Yes, can use the service by all means. Just because you pay $x amount of taxes does not mean you are entitled to $x amount of use back on public items.

    • itsnotmeitsyou on 07/05/2021 - 10:08

      Fair point, but I would use my PHI if I was going public anyway, if asked.

    • Duckie2hh on 07/05/2021 - 10:31
      -2

      wow people are salty.

  • mini2 on 07/05/2021 - 08:43
    +7

    Is it hurting/annoying you? If it's just $800, pay the bloke and have yourself sorted out once and for all.

    Hell if it's hurting/annoying me, I'd pay $2k even just to get this over and done with.

    • itsnotmeitsyou on 07/05/2021 - 10:09

      Not a big annoyance, major concern is which doctor operates.

      • mini2 on 07/05/2021 - 10:58

        If it bugs you that much who will perform the operation then pull your wallet out, it's only cash at the end of the day. The lingering thoughts of what if or regrets later on if something buggers up is a bigger cost than cash.

        • itsnotmeitsyou on 07/05/2021 - 11:03

          You are right. I'll most likely go private.

  • morse on 07/05/2021 - 08:56
    +1

    Public you’ll very likely have registrars involved in your surgery, they may do parts of the surgery with the surgeon. Or even all of it under supervision. They should inform you of this and who will be in theatre with you. This can also happen in private but only with your consent. In private you may even be asked to pay for the registrar assisting (I’ve had this happen but it was over 10years ago). In public you’ll sometimes see a registrar rather than the consulting surgeon for follow up.

    In private you’ll pay the excess, plus the anaesthetists fee. Depending what imaging you need this is generally all free as an outpatient in the public system. Some images may have a out of pocket expense in the private system. Some private health insurers (eg medibank) make you pay for any blood tests done as an inpatient.

    Choosing your surgeon in public in uncommon, even as a private patient but sometimes possible. You’re meant to be given the choice, this isn’t a reality at least where I work, unless you know the surgeon or have someone who can request this for you specifically.

    If something goes wrong during your procedure ie something life threatening eg reaction to anaesthesia, you bleed a lot - you’re slightly better off in a major public hospital with an ICU.

    Despite all of this if it was me for most orthopaedic procedures I’d go private, pay the extras on top of my insurance so as to get the surgery sooner with the surgeon of my choosing. That is of course with the luxury of having the funds to do this. If I was struggling for funds I’d also be happy in the public system in my area.

    Note most my comments are based on my knowledge of the Qld system.

    • itsnotmeitsyou on 07/05/2021 - 10:11

      You can't for the consultant who's been seeing you to do the operation?

      • morse on 07/05/2021 - 11:35
        +2

        If you have already been seen by that consultant in the public system, yes they’ll likely do your surgery. If you get a generic referral to ortho outpatients to be assessed for surgery you’ll get allocated someone. As I understand it if a ‘named referral’ is sent to a specific public specialist you might be able to be seen by them. Most orthopaedic surgeons do a combo of public/private so will have certain operating days and theatre times in the public hospital - so have a particular surgeon might blow out your waiting time too. There will pretty much always be registrars or other non-specialist dr in theatre with the consultant, particularly in ortho - it’s definitely a team based approach. Every health service is different though, so call to ask if in doubt. Might take you a few goes to get to the right person - maybe start with orthopaedic outpatients if you aren’t already on a waiting list. If on a waiting list there will most likely be a wait list coordinator or similar.

        Be aware in both public and private (more so public) surgeries get rescheduled all the time. If they have a big run in urgent trauma cases you’ll get pushed back - public hospitals see the vast majority of trauma so it happens more. It’s a pain because you might have already booked time off work etc. but them the breaks - pun not initially intended

  • Meho2026 on 07/05/2021 - 09:00
    +1

    Yes in the public, you will probably get the registrar performing your surgery or the specialist overseeing the registrar if the registrar is new. Public hospitals are teaching hospitals.
    In the private you will get the specialist, motivated purely by money, they will have many years of experience and may not have kept ahead of new techniques and are probably quite complacent with ingrained bad habits.

    In the public if you have any postoperative complications there will be skilled medical staff available immediately, an ICU, blood bank and pathology lab on site 24 hours a day and if you became critically ill, your chance of survival will be excellent.
    In the private if you became critically ill after hours you will be reliant on the skill of your designated Registered Nurse and their clinical judgment on making the decision to call an ambulance to get you to the emergency department of the public hospital before you die.

    In the public you will probably be in a 4 bed bay, in an aged building, your room mates will be confused elderly people or aggressive junkies who have destroyed various parts of their bodies over the years. You will share a bathroom and toilet with about 6-7 other people.
    In the private you will have your own room and bathroom or worst case scenario have to share with one other.

    I hope that helps you decide

    In the public there will be more nurses to patients and the nurses will generally better skilled.
    In the private the nurses will be nicer to you because when patients complain in the private its taken more seriously.

    • itsnotmeitsyou on 07/05/2021 - 10:15

      The complications bit gives a bit of a worry. The private surgeon is also a consultant and professor. Shouldn't be an issue?

  • bobbified on 07/05/2021 - 09:29
    +3

    I was quite lucky in that I went public and had mine done within 30 days (Cat1). My initial allocation was the teaching-surgeon, then the day before, the allocation was somehow changed to a world-renowned surgeon. ICU was brand new and high-tech, but the best thing of all were the three other guys that I shared a ward with. Absolute pissers that kept me entertained for days. I wouldn't have got that in a private setting!

    • itsnotmeitsyou on 07/05/2021 - 10:16

      How did you know who operating on you? Were you told the day before?

      • bobbified on 07/05/2021 - 10:30
        +2

        I actually went into meet the original allocated surgeon a few weeks before and they told me he would be operating on me. I was given the opportunity to ask any questions, etc and asked to sign all the consent forms etc. But then on the day that I went in, I noticed a different name on the paperwork. I enquired about it and the nurses told me that I was actually very lucky to have this surgeon. (I actually thought at the time that I had it good already with the teaching surgeon). The new guy had a very unique name so I googled it on the spot and found out who he was. He also came in to see how I was in ICU the next day.

  • PAOK11 on 07/05/2021 - 10:43

    I would pay. I have been 3 years on the public register

    • godofpizza on 07/05/2021 - 10:48

      what category did you doctor put you under?

      • morse on 07/05/2021 - 11:41

        It’s the hospital that sets the category of urgency not the referring doctor. The referring dr can certainly put certain info in that might make it more urgent - but it has to be accurate.

  • FareEvader on 07/05/2021 - 10:58

    I had orthognathic surgery earlier this year in Melbourne and I went private.
    The reason I decided to go private was because I wanted an experienced surgeon to operate on me.

    I was covered by Medibank who covered the cost of my hospital stay, part of my surgery and other related costs.
    I was out of pocket ~$8k. $7k to my surgeon (total cost was $10k), $500 to my anesthetist and $500 to the private hospital.

    • itsnotmeitsyou on 07/05/2021 - 11:11

      Wow that's a whole lot. Curious, does your surgeon have gap cover agreements with Medibank?
      Do they come up if you search them here:
      https://www.medibank.com.au/health-insurance/find-provider/#…

      • FareEvader on 07/05/2021 - 11:16
        +2

        It wasn't cheap but it was inline with other surgeons that I was looking at.
        Unfortunately not, no gap cover agreements.

        Also - I had a major issue with Medibank. I was sold the wrong plan for a year, despite providing item numbers.
        my dental surgery wasn't considered "dental surgery" but "cosmetic surgery" (don't ask why because it definitely WAS NOT cosmetic). I went through customer complaints, escalated to customer resolutions and took it all the way to the ombudsman. However, the case was not found in my favour. So, make sure you provide the item numbers and make sure they don't update the definitions of their item numbers and so you're covered.

  • tsunamisurfer on 07/05/2021 - 11:17
    +2

    $800 for your health and piece of mind?

    Sounds like a no-brainer.

  • SlavOz on 15/05/2021 - 11:17

    The only reason to go private is if you are having a high risk surgery and/or the particular doctor in question is very highly recommended/applauded in their profession.

    In such a case, yes I'd say it's worth it to have a particular doctor you know and trust to do the surgery. But if it's just a regular specialist who you've been referred to by your GP, I wouldn't bother. Most specialists are pretty crap as well. Think about it - if they only operate when someone goes private, then they probably don't do that many operations. Meanwhile their registrars are performing these operations multiple times a day.

    I've also been recommended by some high-level specialists to do a particular surgery, only to later find out by a disgruntled former colleague of theirs that they only wanted me to do the surgery because they don't have enough patients under their care to justify their salary at the hospital.

    Please don't trust everything your doctor says. Ask them as many questions as possible.

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join