The reality of cataract surgery in Australia: wait 12 – 18 months or pay-up

“Thousands of elderly people in Australia must choose between spending months with virtually no vision or coughing up thousands of dollars to foot the bill of cataract surgery in the private system. This is utterly unacceptable” said Charmaine Crowe, CPSA Policy Coordinator.

“CPSA calls on Australian Health Minister Nicola Roxon and NSW Health Minister Carmel Tebbutt to immediately act to fix the dire situation that is public cataract surgery in NSW.”

Unfortunately, for 70 year old CPSA member, Susan* living in Central Western NSW, the choice of waiting or paying is one she has to make.

Susan, who recently completed radiotherapy treatment for breast cancer, now has cataracts in both eyes. She was told she would have to wait 12 to 18 months to for public treatment or pay $3,000 for each eye in the private system.

Susan receives a full-rate Age Pension, and has no idea how she will foot the bill for private cataract surgery. The maximum rebate from Medicare is now $368 for each eye, leaving her with a bill of $5,264.

“Clearly, Minister Roxon’s effort to reduce private fees for cataract surgery is not working.”

However, Susan cannot wait 12 to 18 months for public treatment because her life will be turned upside-down. Susan volunteers her time teaching high-school students painting as well as helping older people learn how to use a computer. Without treatment, Susan will not be able to carry out this voluntary work because she won’t have the eyesight to do it.

“Something has to be done about the woeful lack of public treatment available for cataract surgery in NSW. We’ve just seen waiting lists blow out to 67,000 people. CPSA wonders how many other names should be on that list given many turn away from the public system when they’re told how long they’ll have to wait.”