Covering cost of Carpal tunnel Syndrome

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  cypher67 on 14/11/2014 - 23:58

  +1

  Start with your local GP, I don't understand why people come here for medical advice like this.

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    shadow131 on 15/11/2014 - 01:03

    Been to the GP. They have an appointment with a private specialist which will cost $100+ I was looking for other avenues

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  jon on 15/11/2014 - 02:32

  Go to the GP requesting a public referral rather than a private one. The referral should go straight to the public hospital and the hospital will send you a letter with an outpatient appointment. The wait time for your first appointment will depend on the severity of the symptoms currently, which will generally be triaged by the GP. This can be anywhere between a few weeks to well over a year.

  Once you see the surgeons at your outpatient appointment, they will determine whether surgery is an option.. if the symptoms aren't severe enough yet, then you may just get a follow up appointment in 6 or 12 months for further review. If the symptoms necessitate surgery, your mother will be placed on the surgery waiting list which once again will be triaged based on the severity of symptoms, impact on daily life, disease progression ect. Once again, the wait for the surgery may be another 1-12 months.

  In essence, to get free surgery your mother may have to wait upwards of 1.5 years.

  Alternatively, you could pay the few hundred to get a consultation from a private surgeon within a week. Some private surgeons operate in public hospitals so you will only have to pay for the surgeon; the hospital, theatre and anaesthetist fees will be covered publicly. You will still need to wait for a theatre spot for this though. If you have the surgery done completely privately, it can be done within a week or 2.

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  Kevan2 on 15/11/2014 - 02:48

  1. Why not covered, do you have hospital cover if so should not that part the hospital stay bed be covered [create right relationship as some hospitals act as health fund auditors/agents.
  2. Have you checked with health fund switching with comparison groups. Look at wait time, may be same time as wait for hospital -public.
  3. Is there a workcare issue, talk to Union.
  4. Check out what insurances held, in super [Income protection], private etc.

  Are you looking at pain management, should you consider physo, accupuncture as support relief.

  The opp can work well with the right follow up ie physo. Also there are horror stories. Age has important part to pay.
  Good luck and hope Your Mother gets the best treatment and recovery she deserves and needs.