Now for something completely different

[Docker123]

54 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

One thing about many scans and tests (and I’ve had my share and a few other peoples as well) is ask your doctor if they have a preference, ie when my pain specialist sends me for MRI’s he requests a certain doctor do the reports.

 

One blood test my GP prefers me to get at one pathology as he says they’re results are more consistent. He had one patient get two on the one day from the two local spots and got vastly different numbers.

My neurosurgeon said he does not read the reports, just so often wrong. Another guy I saw just went with the report and missed a couple of serious things.
 

Before the first spinal surgery, the pain specialist made comments about the report and the pictures not being a good match. 
 

Then again, I had a second mri, which the neurosurgeon said showed no great change. The reports, by the same radiologist, were vastly different. 
 

[possum52]

24 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

They did show the penguins and the guardians. So cool to see a practical way to protect the little penguins.

The Maremmas are quite amazing with the penguins. The Australian film Oddball is based on the story of the first Maremma trained to protect the penguins. A few years ago we attended a talk by one of the rangers who look after the dogs and penguins at the Flagstaff Maritime Village where the dogs spend the winter. The adult dogs as well as a couple of younger dogs were with him during the talk. We were not allowed to go close to the dogs as they not human friendly. They were bred as sheepdogs and now as penguin protectors. The two adult dogs we saw are mentioned in this article about one of the dogs retiring - Maremmas

 

Maremmas are also being used by Werribee Zoo to protect endangered bandicoots being released back into the wild - Bandicoots

[NSWP]

Something different......
I met with Julie and Richard..OzKiwiJj and Neil and Tracy..Mr.Walker at Catalina Golf Club last evening. We had drinks in the lounge from 5.30pm to 6.30pm then dinner in the Restaurant from 6.30pm to 9.30pm. A delightful evening with decent food and wine. Great to meet them and nice being with nice people. Many cruise stories and war stories were told. You guys enjoy your time down here, river cruising, eating drinking, way to go.

 

Weather is a bit showery and cool, no matter.

 

Thank you for your company and safe journey home.❤️

Edited March 17, 2021 by NSWP

[MMDown Under]

11 minutes ago, NSWP said:

I met with Julie and Richard..OzKiwiJj and Neil and Tracy..Mr.Walker at Catalina Golf Club last evening. We had drinks in the lounge from 5.30pm to 6.30pm then dinner in the Restaurant from 6.30pm to 9.30pm. A delightful evening with decent food and wine. Great to meet them and nice being with nice people. Many cruise stories and war stories were told. You guys enjoy your time down here, river cruising, eating drinking, way to go.

 

Weather is a bit showery and cool, no matter.

 

Thank you for your company and safe journey home.❤️

Nice to hear that you all caught up and had a lovely evening. 

Pity about the weather, but all the East Coast seems to be having showers, so hard to avoid. 

[NSWP]

Happy St Patricks day to all, enjoy. I am having a Jamesons Irish Whisky, nectar of the Irish Gods. Don't feel like cooking, keeping in the theme of things, might crack a can of Tom Piper Irish Stew for dinner, $2.50 at Coles, lol.

 

Edited March 17, 2021 by NSWP

[By The Bay]

Just now, NSWP said:

Happy St Patricks day to all, enjoy. I am having a Jamesons Irish Whisky, nectar of the Irish Gods.

 

Enjoy.🥂

[NSWP]

4 hours ago, GUT2407 said:

One thing about many scans and tests (and I’ve had my share and a few other peoples as well) is ask your doctor if they have a preference, ie when my pain specialist sends me for MRI’s he requests a certain doctor do the reports.

 

One blood test my GP prefers me to get at one pathology as he says they’re results are more consistent. He had one patient get two on the one day from the two local spots and got vastly different numbers.

It annoys me mate when i go to the gp every 6 months forvthe staybalive scripts, he sends me for the blood tests, like prostate, urine, liver, kidney, b12 and a few more. Went monday to the blood suckers, opened at 8am,  igot there at 0745, 8 waiting, by 8am, 12 waiting.  They did not bulk bill me either, got @ $150 bill as.no concession cards, not happy jan.

[MMDown Under]

25 minutes ago, NSWP said:

It annoys me mate when i go to the gp every 6 months forvthe staybalive scripts, he sends me for the blood tests, like prostate, urine, liver, kidney, b12 and a few more. Went monday to the blood suckers, opened at 8am,  igot there at 0745, 8 waiting, by 8am, 12 waiting.  They did not bulk bill me either, got @ $150 bill as.no concession cards, not happy jan.

Might pay you to shop around like Docker 123 suggested.  Make it part of one of your short trips.  

[MMDown Under]

Happy St Patrick's Day everyone.  I watched an enjoyable St Patricks Day Concert 2020 on SBS this afternoon.  Beautiful music and modern Irish dancing.  

 

[Docker123]

34 minutes ago, NSWP said:

It annoys me mate when i go to the gp every 6 months forvthe staybalive scripts, he sends me for the blood tests, like prostate, urine, liver, kidney, b12 and a few more. Went monday to the blood suckers, opened at 8am,  igot there at 0745, 8 waiting, by 8am, 12 waiting.  They did not bulk bill me either, got @ $150 bill as.no concession cards, not happy jan.

I don’t think I have ever paid for a regular blood test, except as a private inpatient (don’t get me started on that utter fort).
 

Best check with Centrelink to see if you can place a claim to get the refund that way.

 

 

[possum52]

12 minutes ago, Docker123 said:

I don’t think I have ever paid for a regular blood test, except as a private inpatient (don’t get me started on that utter fort).

 

 

I haven't either Adrian. Always bulk billed. With two different pathology companies as well.

 

Leigh

[MicCanberra]

We have always had to pay for blood  tests here in the ACT. It is a $50 minimum charge, escalates up depending upon  what tests she being run.

[Docker123]

10 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

We have always had to pay for blood  tests here in the ACT. It is a $50 minimum charge, escalates up depending upon  what tests she being run.

Do you get the money reimbursed by Medicare.

 

All basic tests have an item number and a reimbursement rate (usually 100%).

 

Recently I had a bunch of things, full blood, liver, kidney, cholesterol, etc.  Charge $0.

 

Oh yes, all good scores.

[Docker123]

 

I just went and read the Capital Pathology site. Says maximum out of pocket of $50 after Medicare rebate.

 

I usually go to Melbourne Pathology with no out of pocket. Interesting because they are both part of the Sonic group. Same parent company with different policies.

 

[NSWP]

Southern Pathology runs about 3 or 4 blood sucker places down here. If you have a pensioner concession card or commonwealth seniors health care card they bulk bill. Otherwise pay up, like Mic. I will call up Medicare.

 

Doctors and pathology places down here are rogues.

[Russell21]

2 hours ago, NSWP said:

Southern Pathology runs about 3 or 4 blood sucker places down here. If you have a pensioner concession card or commonwealth seniors health care card they bulk bill. Otherwise pay up, like Mic. I will call up Medicare.

 

Doctors and pathology places down here are rogues.

Les check Medicare Safety net. There is a limit of gap payments you have to make after which they refund you 85% if my memory serves me correctly.

[Docker123]

2 hours ago, NSWP said:

Southern Pathology runs about 3 or 4 blood sucker places down here. If you have a pensioner concession card or commonwealth seniors health care card they bulk bill. Otherwise pay up, like Mic. I will call up Medicare.

 

Doctors and pathology places down here are rogues.

I looked at Southern. They are also part of the Sonic group. So another different policy, no specified maximum out of pocket. Sucks.

 

Have a look at Laverty in Batemans Bay, they say they bulk bill.

 

[MicCanberra]

11 hours ago, Docker123 said:

Do you get the money reimbursed by Medicare.

 

All basic tests have an item number and a reimbursement rate (usually 100%).

 

Recently I had a bunch of things, full blood, liver, kidney, cholesterol, etc.  Charge $0.

 

Oh yes, all good scores.

The $50 is the gap (between the pathologies charge and the regulated fee)

[lyndarra]

3 hours ago, NSWP said:

Southern Pathology runs about 3 or 4 blood sucker places down here. If you have a pensioner concession card or commonwealth seniors health care card they bulk bill. Otherwise pay up, like Mic. I will call up Medicare.

 

Doctors and pathology places down here are rogues.

That's very surprising to me. I've been having bloods tests for many years and have never had to pay a cent. I use the local Laverty and there's another here, the name of which I can't remember, that also does not charge. And there is my local hospital pathology I could go to. It doesn't matter which pathology lab name is on the request form. Only have to show medicare card.

Last week I had my most recent test (annual Myeloma check up) on a NSW Health request form which was done by Laverty.

[GUT2407]

23 minutes ago, lyndarra said:

That's very surprising to me. I've been having bloods tests for many years and have never had to pay a cent. I use the local Laverty and there's another here, the name of which I can't remember, that also does not charge. And there is my local hospital pathology I could go to. It doesn't matter which pathology lab name is on the request form. Only have to show medicare card.

Last week I had my most recent test (annual Myeloma check up) on a NSW Health request form which was done by Laverty.

The other one is probably Douglas, Hanley Moir, I have used both, never paid a cent. But then my GP doesn’t bulk Bill, but I struggle to get him to take my $$$.

[GUT2407]

Had a very pleasant interaction with my GPS office this week, he is retiring (fortunately there is another dr in the practice who seems OK) so rang for an appointment, thinking I’d have to see the other one. My Drs partner works on reception.

 

”Well Barry is now only doing three half days a week, and this will probably be the last appointment you see him, so I’d batter make it last visit of the day, I am sure he will want to have a good long chat”,

[lyndarra]

Just now, GUT2407 said:

The other one is probably Douglas, Hanley Moir, I have used both, never paid a cent. But then my GP doesn’t bulk Bill, but I struggle to get him to take my $$$.

Douglas, that's the one. Sometimes my GP bulk bills something, I can't remember what, but normal consultations for me are not. My sea urchin spine extraction cost me $75 over rebate;.

[By The Bay]

It has been bucketing down all night here in the Bay.

 

Edited March 17, 2021 by By The Bay

[Docker123]

I am “lucky”.

 

Because of the cancer and assorted other health crap, I have an extended care plan through my GP. This means everything gets bulk billed, and they get a higher level payment from Medicare.

 

Also allows for some Medicare funded allied health. Got me 5 or 6 free physio sessions this year.

 

[mr walker]

18 hours ago, NSWP said:

Something different......
I met with Julie and Richard..OzKiwiJj and Neil and Tracy..Mr.Walker at Catalina Golf Club last evening. We had drinks in the lounge from 5.30pm to 6.30pm then dinner in the Restaurant from 6.30pm to 9.30pm. A delightful evening with decent food and wine. Great to meet them and nice being with nice people. Many cruise stories and war stories were told. You guys enjoy your time down here, river cruising, eating drinking, way to go.

 

Weather is a bit showery and cool, no matter.

 

Thank you for your company and safe journey home.❤️

It was great to catch up - we thoroughly enjoyed it. You were a great host & thanks for the wine. It was wonderful to put faces to the screen names. It is good to be part of a little community like ours. Stay safe & hope to catch up again Cheers