Jaw Surgery Forums » Pre-Surgery Questions

Anybody in Sydney who had a Class 3 Malocclusion?

(9 posts)
  • Started 3 months ago by Sky
  • Latest reply from Sky
  • 2 Members Subscribed To Topic

  1. Sky
    Member

    Hi

    My son has to restart 2 years of orthodontics before a class 3 malocclusion.
    I would like to know if there's somebody in the forum from Sydney, may be East, who had this surgery to discuss cost and results

    1/ In cost, when in the forum, forumer stated braces in jaw surgery, does this mean that my son is going to have braces from the surgeon on the top I mean, after the $10K of braces/services from the orthodontists?
    2/ How many days of Hospital is spent 1, 2, or ?
    3/ Is this only done in Private only, if not, what Oral surgeon does work in public in Sydney?
    4/ If in private, what hospital and, is the hospital cost the highest of the total cost?
    5/ Is only the excess payable if 2 or 3 night are spent?
    6/ Is the anaesthetics refunded in full by medicare? cost?
    7/ Surgery cost: 75% of $1777 is refunded by medicare, and 25% of $1777 for dental cost is refunded by the health fund if you have dental cover
    8/ What is the surgery out of pocket for a class 3 malocclusion?
    Any tips?

    Thank you VERY MUCH

    Posted 3 months ago #

  2. bruCey
    Member

    H, I'm from Melbourne so can offer some advice which may be helpful.

    1. It is most likely your son will need a second round of braces before surgery. I needed a second round as did many other people here. It is to get the teeth in preparation.
    2. I have been told I will need one over night stay in hospital.
    3. I have heard you can do to private or public but not sure who does it public or how to get the ball rolling for surgery through the public system.
    4. My highest cost will be my surgeon at 7k and hospital free which includes theatre room and over night stays will be roughly 5k. I know my surgeon prices are on the high side but hopefully thu reflect his skill levels.
    5. Usually private health insurance pays for all over night and theatre room expenses from my knowledge. If your son has had dental cover on the private health insurance once before they usually won't cover him again that was in my case.
    6. Medicare will pay up to about 1.7 k like you said for the surgeon cost but anything above that you will have to pay as excess.
    7. I expect a 10k out of pocket expense. Total 17k for whole procedure.

    If you look back on the forums about costs in Australia you will see a better breakdown in costs and Item numbers which will give you a better idea of costs. But I know from other people they have gotten there surgery for much less than I have.

    Posted 3 months ago #

  3. Sky
    Member

    Hi BruCey

    Thank you VERY much for contributing to my post.
    1/ Yes, he has to re-put his teeth straight as top ones had been push in (so many many years of orthodontics work to reverse it now, and he had periodontics work as, as the lower jaw was growing more forward, his teeth pushed in where almost 'naked' (falling), that was another $900 on top of past $xx,xxx.xx orthodontics works.

    So this new orthodontics work will cost me $10K! out of pocket
    --------------
    2/ Yes I assume 1 night is enough, I will argue with this if suggested otherwise. So as I have to retake an insurance, with top private, you are saying that the hospital and theatre room should be paid in full by the insurer, I will give some calls to confirm I am going to get the right insurer.
    -------------
    3/ Yes, I assume that one must ask the surgeon where he will operate and then check if the insurer covers it if Private. Always ask the surgeon if he operates in Public too.
    -------------
    4/ I have to make an appt for the consult (going from $170 to $280, from the 2 referrals the orthodontics gave me, the difference does not sound good to start!. Medicare refunds $71.
    Then I have to get their quotes, considering that the surgery is only in 2 years (my son has to endure 2 years of reversal work)
    Let's see if for class iii Malocclusion you have to have done for $7K surgeon fees, what the surgeons here come up with. But that gives me a good reference point.
    ------------
    5/ Yes, dental cover is taken already. I won't need a cover here.
    --------------
    7/ Cost When you said the whole procedure is $17K and you expect a $10K out of pocket (ie: $7000 surgeon less 75% of 41777 medicare refund on surgeon's schedule fee) for the whole procedure, are you saying the $17K is only for the surgery or it includes the reversal of orthodontics work (see point 1)

    This is to know if I should 'shop' around, as see in point 4 above, there's already $110 difference in consult fee for surgeon.
    -----------------

    Tbere are so many posts, I have not been able to see the posts you mention, or I have seen one, put forumers have not put the name of the surgery, ie: in my case if the costs (and item no) are for a Class iii Malocclusion, and no of years of orthodontics work.
    I have to have another look
    -----------------
    NB: The surgery should reduce a 1cm at the bottom and add 1 cm at the top: Is it cosmetic or fully corrective? Is this important in Australia? (I assume it is for insurance?

    THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
    STILL waiting some forumers from Sydney to get some tips

    Posted 3 months ago #

  4. bruCey
    Member

    Hi, I dont think i explained it very well but this is the link to the other topic. http://www.jawsurgeryblog.com/forums/topic/cost-of-jaw-surgery-in-australia#post-13595

    I am on board with everything you say except the medicare part. Medicare doesn't cover 75% of your surgical fees for jaw surgery. Each procedure whether it be consultation, surgery, wisdom teeth removal or prosthetics has an item number. Medicare classifies each one and has a rebate on it, i know for my surgery (double jaw surgery) the maximum they will pay for double jaw surgery is around 1700 dollars, my surgeon charges 7k so i will pay the difference. If you read through the above topic that gives a clear break down of costs.

    Private health insurance only really pays for the theatre room in my case, because they only pay up to the same amount as medicare.

    I will be seeing my surgeon on the 9th for my impressions and to sort out final bill payments and will get back to you on final costs.

    Posted 3 months ago #

  5. Sky
    Member

    Hi Brucey, no Medicare refund 75% of the surgeon schedule fee of $1777 (if correct item number). Over $1777 is the out of pocket, including the 25% of the $1777. So we are talking the same thing. It looks from the posts reading incl yours that the $1777 schedule fee is for single jaw, the double jaw seems to be higher returning a 75% of about $1700 as you say

    I am reading the posts you suggested
    --------
    Quoting you: ' Private health insurance only really pays for the theatre room in my case, because they only pay up to the same amount as medicare"
    I don't get this: don't they repay hospital stay as well ie: 1 in full and extra affecting excess?
    Re-quoting your post in cost of jaw surgery: ' I have been confirmed that John Fawkner hospital is compeltely covered under insurance but havent checked the others.'

    What do you mean the the insurer pays as much as medicare?

    Posted 3 months ago #

  6. bruCey
    Member

    I have been told that insurance will pay for everything at the hospital for me which includes theatre room and any over night stays. I confused myself with all this medicare and medibank business.

    When I talked about theatre room what I meant was that it was the biggest cost that insurance paid for. Over night stays a couple of hundred dollars but the theatre room was almost 4k if I remember correctly. All this is at a private hospital.

    Posted 3 months ago #

  7. Sky
    Member

    Thanks BruCey

    Posted 3 months ago #

  8. VeronicasJawSurgery
    Member

    Hi Sky,
    I'm in Sydney and I have a class 3 malocclusion. I just started my journey to correct the underbite, so I don't know exactly how much out of pocket I will be. my braces are $6500 and I've been told by my surgoen the cost of surgery would be about $6000, but still don't have an exact quote. I'm having my surgery at Westmead Private. According to my private health insurance, the only thing I will pay is the surgeon and the anaesthetists' gap fees.
    hope that helps a bit.

    http://veronicasjawsurgery.wordpress.com
    Posted 3 months ago #

  9. Sky
    Member

    Hi Veronica

    I have left a reply in your wordpress.
    Would it be possible to email you direct?

    Thank you very much

    Posted 3 months ago #

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