SRS with Andrew Ives in Melbourne Australia

[Serenation]

Congrats Grace, write down all the questions you have for him, so you don't go to your appointment and forget everything.

[Grace_uz]

Congrats Grace, write down all the questions you have for him, so you don't go to your appointment and forget everything.

Will do, I've got a bit of time now to make sure I'm well prepared!

Thanks.
Grace xx

[Cindy]

Grace,
Something I didn't know at the time. Keep your airfare and taxi receipts, ask your GP/Psych to write a note saying that there is no medical service available for you in Tasssie for this procedure. Medicare will then refund your costs. From memory the taxi fare was about $50 each way from the airport so it is a significant cost you can get back. If you stay o'night you can get your hotel costs rebated as well.

[Grace_uz]

Grace,
Something I didn't know at the time. Keep your airfare and taxi receipts, ask your GP/Psych to write a note saying that there is no medical service available for you in Tasssie for this procedure. Medicare will then refund your costs. From memory the taxi fare was about $50 each way from the airport so it is a significant cost you can get back. If you stay o'night you can get your hotel costs rebated as well.

That will be good! I had vaguely heard of this before  - I will be sure to discuss further with my Dr at the gender clinic when I see her before I go!

Thanks, Grace xx

[Ms Grace]

Grace,
Something I didn't know at the time. Keep your airfare and taxi receipts, ask your GP/Psych to write a note saying that there is no medical service available for you in Tasssie for this procedure. Medicare will then refund your costs. From memory the taxi fare was about $50 each way from the airport so it is a significant cost you can get back. If you stay o'night you can get your hotel costs rebated as well.

I suppose that wouldn't apply to me since technically there is a medical service available in Sydney...

[Cindy]

Grace,
Something I didn't know at the time. Keep your airfare and taxi receipts, ask your GP/Psych to write a note saying that there is no medical service available for you in Tasssie for this procedure. Medicare will then refund your costs. From memory the taxi fare was about $50 each way from the airport so it is a significant cost you can get back. If you stay o'night you can get your hotel costs rebated as well.

I suppose that wouldn't apply to me since technically there is a medical service available in Sydney...

There is no surgical service. The NSW surgeon is, I believe, disbarred, from performing SRS. Not sure of that, I know he is not allowed to operate in certain states. I do know none of the ANZPATH psychs will supply letters to him (again I'm not %100 on that). Obviously I cannot name him. My psychs in SA and Vic would not allow me to use his services but as you know I'm in an odd position and no I will not elaborate.

[Ms Grace]

That's worth knowing, although I thought he was active at least at the end of last year...maybe no longer! I shall look into that becasue if I can claim anything extra back that would be awesome. How ridiculous we only have one decent SRS surgeon (and only M2F as far as I know) in all of Australia!

[AnonyMs]

That's worth knowing, although I thought he was active at least at the end of last year...maybe no longer! I shall look into that becasue if I can claim anything extra back that would be awesome. How ridiculous we only have one decent SRS surgeon (and only M2F as far as I know) in all of Australia!

If its the psych writing this letter you could have it say that you have severe psychological issues with the surgeon in Sydney, and as such this surgeon is not suitable.

Is anyone else allowed to name him, or is it just Cindy who can't? I believe I know who it is.

[Cindy]

I can't say anything official but we are taking the State Health services to the HRC, they have advised us that (of course unofficially) that they would support such an approach.

I will get Health services for transgender people in the public health system. ANZPATH will. I will.

Andy wants to do FtM surgery, MtF is so called vanilla surgery, it is basically quite simple. FtM from his comments needs a team of at least four surgeons including microvascular surgeons. There is just no training in Australia for that complexity for FtM reconstruction, even though individual skills exist.

When we get into the public health area we will have that ability.

Sorry if I sound nuts. I am just passionate that my community will not be disadvantaged.

[Serenation]

There was a Sydney girl at the hospital when I was there. We are lucky to have someone as talented and passionate here for us in Australia

[mm]

Yes, lower ftm surgery is more complex and requires a team of surgeon available only in a few locations around the world where there are the necessary surgeons.

[Rainbow Bay]

Check if your health fund covers them and of course private accommodation at Masada. You also need to stay for about 2 weeks in accommodation out of Masada before travelling back to Tas. You have to pay for that plus airfares etc. You can claim them back through the PAT scheme. You need a companion as well. And a suitcase full of salt

Can you tell me what the PAT scheme is please Cindy? I haven't heard of this but anything that eases the financial burden is worth knowing about 

Also, thankyou so much for all this information Serenation. This thread has answered lots of questions and concerns that I had.

[Cindy]

Patient assist transport scheme. I'm not sure if it applies in every state. The idea is that if treatment is not available in your state and it is in another, then the state government will pay for a patient to go elsewhere for treatment.

You need to check with your Dept of Health and GP.

It also applies for travel overseas but they restrict it to a few cases a year. No they will not pay for female SRS overseas as it is available in Aus, no matter how restricted. We have managed to get transmen is for surgery but only a few, they baulked at the cost and then started on the none life threatening rubbish.

[Rainbow Bay]

Patient assist transport scheme. I'm not sure if it applies in every state. The idea is that if treatment is not available in your state and it is in another, then the state government will pay for a patient to go elsewhere for treatment.

You need to check with your Dept of Health and GP.

Thankyou Cindy  I live in Sydney so I think this is something I could potentially claim.

[Cindy]

There is an issue for NSW girls but not one I or the women can discuss in public.
Pm me

[Rainbow Bay]

There is an issue for NSW girls but not one I or the women can discuss in public.
Pm me

Ok. Thanks for letting me know. I'm still just a visitor so I can't PM I don't think. I definitely will later though. Soon. Thankyou for your help. xxx

[Cindy]

There is an issue for NSW girls but not one I or the women can discuss in public.
Pm me

Ok. Thanks for letting me know. I'm still just a visitor so I can't PM I don't think. I definitely will later though. Soon. Thankyou for your help. xxx

Cindy@anzgsg.org you can email me

[TashaEve]

Thanks everyone (Especially Serenation) for this thread. I'm trying to piece together what information I can about Dr Ives surgery and this has been an excellent help.

I confirmed (what Cindy has already said) that the medicare numbers are as follows:
"You need to be covered for the item numbers of 45563, 37405, 37342, 35565, 30644 x2, 45206 x2 to be performed at Masada Private Hospital plus a 10 night stay in hospital. You also need to ensure you have no psychiatric restrictions on your level of cover."

I have also updated my cover to the top for HIF. However this won't come into full effect till August 2016. I requested more information from HIF and they said this:
"Further to this, as far as the item numbers you have provided, your level of cover will pay benefits towards the surgery, however it does fall under the 12 month waiting periods and would be subject to the fund's Pre-Existing Conditions rulings. If you have this surgery before the 5th October, the surgery would be paid at your previous fund's level of cover and also requires approval by Medicare. The full 12 month waiting periods on your hospital cover will expire on the 5th of August 2016."
...That just made things even more confusing however.

[Serenation]

Thanks everyone (Especially Serenation) for this thread. I'm trying to piece together what information I can about Dr Ives surgery and this has been an excellent help.

I confirmed (what Cindy has already said) that the medicare numbers are as follows:
"You need to be covered for the item numbers of 45563, 37405, 37342, 35565, 30644 x2, 45206 x2 to be performed at Masada Private Hospital plus a 10 night stay in hospital. You also need to ensure you have no psychiatric restrictions on your level of cover."

I have also updated my cover to the top for HIF. However this won't come into full effect till August 2016. I requested more information from HIF and they said this:
"Further to this, as far as the item numbers you have provided, your level of cover will pay benefits towards the surgery, however it does fall under the 12 month waiting periods and would be subject to the fund's Pre-Existing Conditions rulings. If you have this surgery before the 5th October, the surgery would be paid at your previous fund's level of cover and also requires approval by Medicare. The full 12 month waiting periods on your hospital cover will expire on the 5th of August 2016."
...That just made things even more confusing however.

You are welcome TashaEve, I interpret your message as any increased benefits in your cover from it's upgrade wont come into affect till august 2016

[Tiny]

Hi Serenation, thanks for all the information so far. I'm in Melbourne, looking at what my options are. I've got friends that have had their SRS work done here and others in Thailand. Both camps say they're really happy with their work, but finding out what non-thai srs results look like has been really difficult! Chett and Suporn both have extremely detailed closeups available so you can judge what they're trying to do. As for what Andrew achieves though, there's very little I can see. Getting my surgery here would make things much easier in terms of work and medical cover, as well as peace of mind, but what the outcomes are is still a huge mystery.

How happy are you with the aesthetic outcome of your surgery?