routine mammo over $550?!

Yeah...I got mine on Dec. 31, the last day of insurance coverage ... and then the insurance co. tells the radiology group that ins. ended 12/30, so they were sending me that $500 plus bill for a while... it's insane how they want to charge the uninsured so much... fortunately got the mess straightened out and am covered again... same company unfortunately.

Routine mammography has no charges down here for those >50, and I believe it's a $15 dollars out of pocket if you're not. Pretty handy.

Free screening mammograms in Australia if over 50, or younger if family history or personal choice, no doctor's referral required. It is funded jointly by state & federal governments.

The Breastscreen service in NSW has 40 regional sites, and 18 mobile units that get parked in a local carpark for a month or so and enable women to be x-rayed in their local area. If fine needle biopsy etc required then you attend one of their main centres and that is also free. Reminders are sent out every two years, and of course it is not compulsory.

And by golly the Australian health service doesn't have waiting lines nor is it going broke by delivering better service at lower cost.

Thanks for the info about how to make things work better.