What to expect from the appointment.
Your consultation will include an examination of the injury/condition in conjunction with a discussion/viewing of any imaging requested by the referring Doctor prior to seeing Mr Penn. A forward plan +/- further imaging etc. may be decided in the course of consultation.
Should surgical intervention be decided, Mr Penn may offer you an operation date on his earliest weekly available operating list depending on agreement between the patient and Mr Penn.
CONSULTATIONS
Mr Penn requires a referral prior to consultation.
Full fee is payable at the time of consultation by Cash or Eftpos.
We process online rebates with Medicare. The Medicare rebate is returned directly to your MyGov nominated savings/cheque account.
PATIENTS WITH HOSPITAL COVER, DVA CARD HOLDERS, MAIB APPROVED OR APPROVED WORKER COMPENSATION CLAIMS
A routine next available appointment will be made when you contact the rooms alternatively, we may attempt to contact you within 2-3 days of receipt of a referral.
The appointment wait time can vary from 8-10 weeks with included time Mr Penn has calendared for leave, conferences, training etc.
Referrals can be triaged when an appointment is made. If medically required after review by Mr Penn, we will get in touch with our earliest appointment opportunity.
An aged pension discount is offered for consultations only.
DVA cards are accepted and will be paid in accordance with DVA guidelines and must have a valid referral for consultation.
Patients seen in relation to Workers Compensation or MAIB must provide proof of the accepted claim from the Insurer (workers compensation insurer) for the consultation to be invoiced to their Employer/Insurer (a medical certificate from a GP is not acceptable proof)
UNINSURED
Mr Penn does not see uninsured patients through the private rooms.
He can offer surgery through the private system if you are able to self-fund for the entire operation (surgeon fees, hospital fees, anaesthetist and assistant surgeon fees +/- prothesis required).
A Medicare rebate is available on the surgeon fee if self-funding, however the larger component of the costs are the Calvary Hospital fees +/- prothesis, which no Medicare rebate is available for.
SURGICAL FEES WITH PRIVATE HOSPITAL COVER
Mr Penn is registered as a Known Gap provider for surgery in the private hospital (Calvary Health Care Launceston).
Out of pocket fees will be incurred when surgery is undertaken. Depending on your health fund, the amount out of pocket will vary.
Your Known Gap (surgeon out of pocket expense) will be required to be paid prior to your surgical admission. Details of your out of pocket (Known gap) will be provided on an Informed Financial Consent (IFC) at the of booking an operation.
Mr Penn utilises a surgical assistant for operations and you will receive a gap account for an Assistant’s fee separate to the surgery along with a gap account from the Anaesthetist present on the day. All relevant information to facilitate the lodging of claims on behalf of patients must be provided to Mr Penn’s rooms prior to admission for surgery, except in an emergency.
SELF-FUNDING SURGERY (UNINSURED PATIENT WISHING TO PAY FOR SURGERY
Self-funding surgical patients will be given an Estimate for surgery costs and will be asked to pay for the full surgeon fee prior to admission to hospital. The estimated fee will indicate the approximate refund from Medicare and can be forwarded to Medicare after the procedure is undertaken.
The anaesthetist and assistant surgeon may also require pre-payment of fees (medicare rebate available post-surgery)
Costs for the hospital accommodation and prothesis (if required) can be obtained at the patients request and sent to them direct. This is generally the largest portion of the expense when self-funding.
A Medicare rebate is not available on the hospital fees or prothesis however the Calvary component of the costs.
