Making health screening and testing more affordable in Melbourne

Medibank has doubled the number of hospitals it offers No Gap endoscopies in Melbourne, with Direct Endoscopy hospitals joining its No Gap network.

Eligible Medibank customers seeing participating specialists at Direct Endoscopy hospitals in Hampton, Frankston, Narre Warren, Rosebud and Bayswater will not be charged out-of-pocket fees for endoscopies.

The average cost for an endoscope is $1,800 and the average out of pocket cost when charged is around $277, which has increased by nearly 20% compared to last year.

Endoscopy procedures such as gastroscopies and colonoscopies can identify and diagnose a number of conditions including gastrointestinal diseases (coeliac, GERD, Crohn’s) and a number of cancers, including bowel cancer.

Medibank Chief Customer Officer Milosh Milisavljevic said this new partnership is part of Medibank’s commitment to make health care more accessible and affordable.

“We have been growing our No Gap network over the past five years to ensure our customers can access affordable healthcare,” said Mr Milisavljevic.

“Cost of living is a real issue for many Australians, and we see reports that people are skipping medical appointments as a result, which can lead to serious health issues if problems are not detected and addressed.

“This will allow our customers living in Melbourne to have important health screenings without incurring any out-of-pocket costs when they see a participating specialist.”

Direct Endoscopy Day Hospitals Medical Director Dr David Badov said: “We are excited to be part of Medibank’s No-Gap Endoscopy Program. This is an important initiative to provide timely and affordable patient access to quality endoscopy services such as colonoscopy and gastroscopy.

“About 1 in 13 Australians will develop bowel cancer during their lifetime and this disease often starts without any symptoms. Regular colorectal cancer screening is one of the most powerful weapons for preventing colorectal cancer. Bowel cancer screening is highly important especially after the age of 45 and Colonoscopy offers the best chance of early detection and removal of pre-cancerous polyps.”

“At Direct Endoscopy Hospitals we are committed to high-quality and affordable endoscopy services, and this partnership will undoubtedly improve patient access and clinical outcomes.”

Medibank offers No Gap endoscopes at nine locations in Victoria and 16 locations around the country. Medibank’s broader No Gap network has grown to 35 locations across the country, which includes No Gap for joint replacement and ACL’s, as well as endoscopes.