I aim to be absolutely transparent about my fees.
I also aim to keep these costs manageable for the patient, although some of the factors involved are beyond my control.
One of the ways I achieve this is by performing only necessary investigations, and procedures in a single visit. Having necessary investigations and procedures done in a single visit, or as few visits as possible, minimizes the cost to you, and is nearly always in your best interests from a Medical point of view. I also aim to eliminate unnecessary follow up visits.
Please go to my Contact link, and speak to one of the staff at any of my practice locations in order to get current fees.
You should consider the following:
Fees are generally broken down into :
- those incurred in the practice (ie at the clinic visit) and,
- those incurred in a Hospital or Day Surgery facility, should you require surgery.
In the clinic, only a portion of your fees (consultation, investigations, minor procedures performed in the clinic) will be covered by Medicare. As a consequence, these incur an out of pocket expense (Gap). It is a common belief that private health insurance will cover costs in the clinic. This is incorrect. Private health insurance only applies to costs incurred at a Hospital or, Day Surgery facility.
As a Known Gap Provider, I keep my fees openly disclosed to all of the patients undergoing surgery at a private hospital and/or day surgery facility.
When comparing fees among Ophthalmic Surgeons please consider the fees you are being quoted in relation to the services being offered, and what these fees include.
If you choose to have surgery in a Hospital or Day Surgery facility, and wish to have this performed privately, by me; you will be given a quote for the surgery.
The cost of the surgery is calculated according to the Item Numbers that the surgery involves. The Item Numbers have been predetermined by Medicare. Every surgical procedure has an Item Number. For example, a standard cataract operation has the number 42702. A vitrectomy has the number 42725 etc. Some operations may have 2 or more item numbers depending on the complexity of the surgery. If you have private health insurance then they will cover the majority of your surgical fees apart from your known out of pocket expense. If you do not have private health insurance then part of the cost will be covered by Medicare. Unfortunately, Medicare rebates have not kept up with increased costs of surgery, and in many cases the gaps for uninsured patients are large. I will always try and do my best to offer an honest, and competitive quote.
If you require surgery there are also the additional costs of the:
- Excess. This is the charge that the health insurance company charges you before it pays out a benefit. The excess may be zero, but this depends on your level of cover.
- Anaesthetist. In the majority of cases anaesthetic fees are covered in full, if you have private health insurance
- Day Surgery Facility Fee. Again, this is often covered in full, if you have private health insurance. However, dependent on your level of cover there may be fees associated with your hospital admission. You will be required to contact your health fund to determine the fees associated with your admission. These fees are determined by your health fund and are out of my control
Unfortunately, if you do not have private health insurance or have a low level of cover, neither of these costs may be covered. Also, Medicare does not offer any rebate for these, and as such uninsured patients have to bear the cost of these in full.
After surgery there will be follow up visits. The first 3 weeks of follow up are included in your surgical fee.
It is an important first step to understand this structure so you can obtain a meaningful quote for any Medical or Surgical procedure. It is also one of many factors to consider when comparing Specialists and their fees.
Please see the link "How to choose a Surgeon" for more guidance on this subject.
I do not have any financial conflicts of interest with any surgical facility, health fund or drug company. This allows me to do what I feel is in the best interests of the patient rather than any 3rd party.