r/wollongong • u/bigdog6256 • 5d ago

Colonoscopy advice

Hi so the doc says I need a colonoscopy but I’m low risk. Put me on public list but not sure how long I’d have to wait. I could go private but not sure how much out of pocket it might cost?

3 Upvotes

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5

u/JustabitOf 5d ago

Had a 10 month wait on public after the consultation. Jul 25 (hosptial gastroenterologist consultation ) to may 26 (procedure ) I wasn't personally in a rush. I'd be concerned if it was urgent. I may have been even on their 30 day priority list - Discraceful if I was.

Basically a long wait, which may be fine if it's a routine preventative check. Not so if critical.

4

u/Space_Donkey69 5d ago

I went private to the one on Rosemount street and it cost me zero gap

1

u/gwyllgie 3d ago

I went there in February this year for a colonoscopy + gastroscopy and paid $500 out of pocket, plus $50 for a nurse consult appointment I had to have two weeks or so before the procedure. So, YMMV I guess.

2

u/-fairweather- 5d ago

Not sure how long ago you were put on the list but I think you should get a letter from the hospital confirming that you’re on the list and how long you’ll have to wait - at least I did. Low risk you’ll wait longer obviously. I was quoted about $1500 to pay privately for it pre COVID but it’s probably different now and that likely didn’t include all costs involved. If you have private health insurance then they should be able to tell you how much it will cost you but you might need the billing code from the specialist (their admin should be able to give it to you). Hopefully some of that was helpful.

2

u/Poolix 4d ago

Wollongong hospital gastro is about 8-10 months wait, have had two ‘low risk’ scopes and both were approximately this wait time

2

u/Radiant-Bug2810 4d ago

I was highest priority there is took 8 months

4

u/welovethegong 5d ago

I'll do it for $100 cheaper than your lowest offer from a doctor

1

u/MapOfIllHealth 4d ago

I’m under a gastroenterologist at Campbelltown public and I usually have my colonoscopies within 3-months of the referral being placed. They’re routine non-urgent ones. Obviously it varies between hospitals, but in my experience I’ve never waiting longer than a few months at any hospital.

1

u/compoesure 4d ago

Hey, I work health insurance so semi informed opinion. If you have insurance, find a surgeon who’ll do access gap (might be called medical gap depending on what fund your with). A lot of them do it for colonoscopies and if both the surgeon and anaesthetist do it, your gap shouldn’t be any more than 1k. Some also charge no gap, so $0. Have a look around, colonoscopies are probably one of the lowest cost admissions to go private with

1

u/Working_Spirit_8814 3d ago

You can ring Wollongong private and get the item number and then ask your health insurer what the gap will be. Not sure if you need to have a specialist to identify the exact number. Sometimes there's more than one number for the one described procedure. Also if you feel concerned, go back to your GP and tell them you're concerned about the wait time and ask what they can do.

1

u/mcuth 2d ago

Depends on your insurance. Mine was just the $350 inpatient gap at the hospital. Insurance paid the rest. (Recent). My choice of where and when to have it. Got a gastroscopy thrown in for good for measure.

1

u/barfbarf_boy 2d ago

I went through public system and waited 2 years for a consult with the gastro doctor. Then had to wait another year to get the colonoscopy, which was done at rosemount

1

u/Own-Law35 22h ago

I'm already getting a Colonoscopy from the tax office do you want me to sign you up?