Ask RiotACT: Laser eye surgery recommendations

dungfungus said :

The OP didn’t say anything about Medicare; the terminology was “…done publicly for free”.

Not everyone pays the Medicare levy JC and for the ones who don’t, their needs are funded 100% by the taxpayers.

Private cover doesn’t cover everything and I am not aware that they will fund anything (gap) that is left after the puny Medicare rebate is received.

Done publicly for free=Medicare pays.

As for private health insurance my experience of the two times I used it is medicare paid about 50%, I paid 30% and fund paid 20%.

Anyway my point is you where having a whinge about public pays, bottom line is the public pays for most medical procedures including an awful lot of private procedures. It is system that works a lot better than it does elsewhere. Only thing I think needs fixing is the private system as it is criminal people are essentially forced to have it, yet they cover 6 parts of stuff all for the most part.

JC said :

dungfungus said :

Maryann Mussared said :

My last professional advice was to wait until I start to develop cataracts and then have the laser surgery done publicly for free. Otherwise it is about $10,000 and substantial major out of pocket expenses. I had spectacles and contacts since I was a kid so life just goes on

To be fair, having medical procedures “done publicly for free” really means having it paid for by taxpayers, doesn’t it?

And you never ever use Medicare? You don’t claim rebates for GP’s or bulk bill. You never use ‘free’ pathology? And when you use your private insurance you say please don’t claim any cost against Medicare I shall pick up the difference to save the poor taxpayers the cost? Right?

The OP didn’t say anything about Medicare; the terminology was “…done publicly for free”.

Not everyone pays the Medicare levy JC and for the ones who don’t, their needs are funded 100% by the taxpayers.

Private cover doesn’t cover everything and I am not aware that they will fund anything (gap) that is left after the puny Medicare rebate is received.

dungfungus said :

Maryann Mussared said :

My last professional advice was to wait until I start to develop cataracts and then have the laser surgery done publicly for free. Otherwise it is about $10,000 and substantial major out of pocket expenses. I had spectacles and contacts since I was a kid so life just goes on

To be fair, having medical procedures “done publicly for free” really means having it paid for by taxpayers, doesn’t it?

And you never ever use Medicare? You don’t claim rebates for GP’s or bulk bill. You never use ‘free’ pathology? And when you use your private insurance you say please don’t claim any cost against Medicare I shall pick up the difference to save the poor taxpayers the cost? Right?

dungfungus said :

Maryann Mussared said :

My last professional advice was to wait until I start to develop cataracts and then have the laser surgery done publicly for free. Otherwise it is about $10,000 and substantial major out of pocket expenses. I had spectacles and contacts since I was a kid so life just goes on

To be fair, having medical procedures “done publicly for free” really means having it paid for by taxpayers, doesn’t it?

dungfungus said :

Maryann Mussared said :

My last professional advice was to wait until I start to develop cataracts and then have the laser surgery done publicly for free. Otherwise it is about $10,000 and substantial major out of pocket expenses. I had spectacles and contacts since I was a kid so life just goes on

To be fair, having medical procedures “done publicly for free” really means having it paid for by taxpayers, doesn’t it?

Yes, the humble taxpayer. Pretty much describes me since I was 18.

Maryann Mussared said :

My last professional advice was to wait until I start to develop cataracts and then have the laser surgery done publicly for free. Otherwise it is about $10,000 and substantial major out of pocket expenses. I had spectacles and contacts since I was a kid so life just goes on

To be fair, having medical procedures “done publicly for free” really means having it paid for by taxpayers, doesn’t it?

My last professional advice was to wait until I start to develop cataracts and then have the laser surgery done publicly for free. Otherwise it is about $10,000 and substantial major out of pocket expenses. I had spectacles and contacts since I was a kid so life just goes on

Thanks for the responses. Since posting this I’ve received advice from a professional that I’d be better off sticking to the reading glasses. Laser surgery can treat long-sightedness, but there’s a good chance that within 12-18 months eyesight will revert. Better things to spend $7,000 on I think.

I had to have laser surgery twice on the right eye. The trauma caused a cataract so that was another operation. None of this was fun.

As goggles13 suggests, why not get some specs, the optomerist will do a free Medicare test which might also pick up other problems.

I think there are a few individual ophthalmologists around, but if you have a referral, the Eye Hospital out at Symostown or the eye clinic at the Canberra hospital are probably your best bet.

why not just get a set of reading glasses to see if they work for you. they are cheap. I haven’t had laser surgery, but have had retina re-attachment and cataract surgery in both eyes. retina surgery was not fun and it caused cataracts – which ended well. but I would avoid surgery if at all possible.