Cost of braces in Australia

[UnevenJAG]

Just curious what other Aussies have/are paying for their braces.

Cost/time braced/type of braces.

Me - $7,500/24-36 months/ceramic braces

Would be interested in your replies.

:)

[rowo]

I paid just under $6700 for damons with clears on upper 6. All up treatment time will be 24 months.
I'll also be having jaw surgery which will be another 10+k, and I had extractions beforehand which was roughly 3k.

[UnevenJAG]

Thanks for replying rowo, like you I'm having jaw surgery in about 15 months time. Cost is $13,000, so damn expensive.
I had all 4 wisdom teeth out in 2012 and last week had a baby tooth extracted and an impacted canine exposed - cost $2200.

Such a big outlay of money but once it's all done will be worth it.

[rowo]

That's very similar to my case. I had my 4 wisdoms, a baby tooth, and its corresponding canine extracted.
I was quoted about 16k for jaw surgery, which I hope will be coming soon fingers crossed.
Yes it is so expensive!!! Sometimes I wonder if it is worth it... seeing as it's the cost of a car! But I guess it is an investment for the rest of my life. I have HBF so it's definitely easing the burden.

[UnevenJAG]

Expensive but like you said I see it as an investment, so well worth it. I have private hospital and extras insurance with Bupa, my hospital stay will be 100% covered minus the $500 excess. The surgeon fee is $8,990, surgeon assistants fee is approx $1,800 and anaesthetist fee is $1,800 approx. I have to pay that all up front and only get about $3,000 back in rebates from bupa and perhaps $400 from Medicare. It's crazy how much more the surgeons charge over the recommended Medicare fee.

Fingers crossed I can come up with the money in time too!

[mmkay]

~$7900 for metal 18-24 months plus some surgeon fees for removal of teeth and placement/removal of anchorage devices.

I have to pay that all up front and only get about $3,000 back in rebates from bupa and perhaps $400 from Medicare. It's crazy how much more the surgeons charge over the recommended Medicare fee.

When it comes to surgery the Medicare scheduled fees do not usually reflect any kind of reality, especially in certain specialties. For the jaw surgery surgeon/anesthetist fees you should get back more from Medicare than your health fund. Medicare pays 75 percent of the scheduled fee and the health fund pays the remaining 25 percent.

[UnevenJAG]

Hi mmkay,

I remember being told that actually, it's confusing. So from the surgeons fee which is $8,990, my health insurer covers $2100 approx. How can I find out how much Medicare pays (price not percentage)?

[mmkay]

Ask for an itemised estimate (they should probably have given you one anyway), which will read something like:
NNN Description
NNNNN Description
NNNNN Description

NNN = dental item, should probably not apply to your surgery unless teeth are getting extracted or something strictly dental. Only extras cover will pay anything for these items.

NNNNN = medicare item number. Put NNNNN in the top right at http://www.mbsonline.gov.au to get the scheduled fee (75 percent paid by medicare, 25 percent by health fund). This will be your rebate.

This doesn't really work well for anesthetists THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT IT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR. THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT IT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR. THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT IT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR. THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT IT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR. because it's calculated based on unknown factors such as time, but they should be able to give you an estimate if you get the details of the anesthetist and contact their rooms. Of course, if they are unwell or their schedule changes at the last minute you could wind up with someone else who charges more

[UnevenJAG]

Thanks so much for that, I actually found a section on the Medicare website where I could look up the 5 digits codes and found out how much of a rebate I'll be getting.

Under 52375 Medicare's 75% is $1624.35. That's ok, now I'm just confused about the part where bupa said they'd pay $2,100 approx, not sure how that works out to be 25%

Already know how much I'm getting back from Anaesthetist as the quote gives you a figure of how much you are eligible for a rebate via Medicare. It's not much though.

Thanks for your replies though, I appreciate you taking the time to help

[mmkay]

"52375
...
Fee: $2,165.75 Benefit: 75% = $1,624.35"

If you fill in a Medicare 2 way form Medicare pays you $1,624.35 and Bupa pays the remaining $541.40

However if you claim with them Bupa may do something like pay out the $2165.75 to you and then claim $1624.35 back from Medicare. Just a guess that might explain where their numbers came from.

[fudge911]

I have both metals upper and lower. Total cost of treatment was $6K for 24 months (I think), but my health insurance pays $2.1K, so my total cost is $3.9K. I, however, had 4 pre-molars out which was about $150 altogether.