Hi all,
Just wondering if anyone’s gone private for extra mammograms/ultrasounds between the NHS ones and if so what the going rate is?
Ta
mousy
I went private for my initial dx and my surgery… this was done on my works private medical insurance … will check my statements later when I get home and will let you knwo what the charge was.
I think they cost £70 or so.
HI
My sister went and had a mammogram after my dx and she paid £150
Hi,
What annoys me is the still charge the same even though I’ve only got one boob for them to squash, not two!
Silversue
I have private medical insurance through BUPA and have just checked statement for annual mammo I had in March - £153. I am given the results the same day during my out-patient appointment with breast surgeon and he charges another £90 for the consultation!
Hope this helps.
Jo
I’m being treated at a BMI hospital with my Norwich Union private medical insurance through work. My recent mammo cost £98.33 precisely! and my consultant rang me at home 4 days later to confirm it was clear; she hasn’t sent her bill yet but last year the consultation cost £95! The policy only covers me for BC for 5 years so I’ve another 2 to go before I go on to the NHS.
Catfan
Sorry I forgot to check my statements last night.
Have dug out the one from BMI Ross Hall in Glasgow and they charged £286.43 - this covered one outpatient’s visit and I received a regular mammogram, then they took me back in and did mor detailed mammogram then after reading that they did an ultrasound. My consultant was not included in this bill cos he was at a smaller hospital closer to my home (they don’t do mammo or ultra sound) - BMI sent their report to him. The bill for his consultation and a core biopsy and my pre-op assessment was £364.00.
My consultant charges £50 for a basic clinic appointment.
Seems to be a big variation in price, but most seem under what I was thinking it might be. I don’t have private medical cover.
I want to get private ones between the annual ones for the first couple of years to make them six-monthly, due to being triple neg (high chance of recurrence in first 2 years) and the speed in which the last lump grew. Think one year is too far apart. Told the consultant that when I saw him last month and he was fine with it. He said they could do the NHS one in July instead of October, so I’d be looking at a private one in January next year. Only hope I don’t have trouble getting the NHS one in July 2009 due to having had a private one only 6 mths prior… otherwise I could end up paying for them all…
mousy
There should be no problem mixing private and NHS check-ups. As I said I had my initial referral, dx and surgery done private, then my consultant (who is part NHS and part private) passed me back into the NHS as he said I would get access to a bigger and better onc team in the NHS. I’ve had NHS appointments with oncology and private check-ups with the private consultant since my op and this will continue for the next 5 years, whilst my ins company is paying for follow-up.
I think mixing must depend on area. I was definitely told I couldnt here in Berkshire. I wanted to pay for private op and rest of treatment at hospital and told I could not do this. Either I have all on NHS or pay for all privately. Cannot see why as it would save NHS some money.
The NHS is in a twist on this. Remember the case of the woman prepared to pay for a drug her PCT wouldn’t fund, and was told that if she did this, she would not be treated on the NHS? There is no logic in it. My GP sister-in-law was speaking strongly about this the other day - in her view there is no justification in refusing treatment if a patient wants or is prepared to pay for something extra.
By the way, at our local private hospital there are two rates…insurance prices are higher than if you are paying cash (“self paying” or “self funding”) - so it’s worth ensuring you are getting quoted the right rate!
I only got 2 yrly mammos after dx in 2003 - queried this with the bc surgeon and he said it was due to radiation risks - which hubby and I didn’t believe for one second. It is about resources!
I emailed some cancer drs at major hospitals in the US and they said there is little risk.
My tumour was non palpable, found on 3 yrly normal mammos, and I am therefore concerned if I get a recurrence and it is also non palpable, how will I know? I think that if I had had yrly mammos perhaps my cancer would not have spread to my lymph nodes.
After talking to some friends in the midlands, who get annual mammos (none have bc but have had friends who died from it) they said they pay £75 at their private hospital., not a BUPA one.I rang the Nuffield in Plymouth, and they asked if I had had bc - yes - well, they said I would also need an ultrasound as well as a mammo and it would be - wait for it - £450! I told them I would think about it, but have never been back to them. I still don’t know what to do.
Lizzie - check another hospital. You don’t have to go to the nearest. I think the cost is because you’ll need a consultant radiographer to do the ultrasound - that £375 is the same as my onc charges my health insurance every time she sees me, so it could be fairly normal unfortunately. But, as I said before, it can be cheaper if paying for it yourself. You can also raise this issue with your health board, and ask WHY mammograms aren’t annual in your area. It’ll help if you can find areas where they ARE annual. It shoots their argument in the foot. You have a choice, fight for your rights, or pay for your rights. I am becoming increasingly disillusioned with the nhs and it’s postcode lottery (I have a friend with progressive MS who is having to buy all her equipment herself - even an electric wheelchair) , so I suspect you’ll be paying less for your summer holiday this year, and more for your peace of mind.
All the best
Sue xx
Hi, don’t know if this helps, but I had my initial dx and op etc under private insurance, then after a year swapped to NHS, though technically still under the same consultant. I live in the West Essex Health Authority, and I get 6 monthly checks, plus annual mammograms, and in fact have also had ultrasounds on both annual checks as there is something lurking they always query. Because I had a cyst this time round, which they drained, I am going back for an extra check in three months, so the NHS can do these things if they want to. Push them!
Silversue.
HI Mousy
I have private health care but I get the impression that if you’re bupa covered they charge you the max for everything (and more sometimes!!), but if you’re self funded -they are more considerate and just charge what they need to and they always discuss this with you. Also, I’ve seen posters in the waiting rooms that a lot of private hospitals are offering mammograms for about £95 and I think that’s the mammo and consultation in one, but obviously check this out.
I would definately recommended that you have private mammograms, if only to put your mind at rest. One year is too long to wait.
How are you doing, ok I hope? It’s busy having our lives back with kids, lovely but busy!
Hannah
Hiya,
Yup, I’m doing OK. Just a bit hectic working through the kids issues.
I’ve got my eldest son rescheduled for a grommit/adenoid op on 2 June and we’re hoping he doesn’t get another cold. Have also been to the paediatrician about his possible Aspergers. We haven’t finished going through everything and will have another session to finish off, but he said we’ve got enough for it to go to the panel that says who goes on the assessment queue (which is over a year long… I won’t hold my breath) in the meantime.
Then there’s my younger son whose development and speech are about 6 mths delayed (probably due to me sitting in an armchair for so long) and he’s on both speech therapy and portage queues. Speech therapy might only be a month or two away but they don’t think portage will be until September (though they have been to the nursery to observe him).
Basically these places see you then put you on a waiting list so they don’t stuff up their government targets…
mousy
My private insurance stops in October and I was quoted £150 for mammogram consultation and same day results.Was advised not to have more than one a year even though I am triple neg so cant be a cost thing as I would pay.I want to go private because of same day results.Valx
With Val on that - when I went for my bone scan I got the results then and there and everybody else had to wait a week. I think that’s scandalous, but it’s the system