How.. disappointing....

Well maybe its just weird to me. DH just emailed the urology place and asked what the urologists costs are (he has his appointment for the snippity snip on the 1st April) and said that we have private health cover so just wanted to know how much out of pocket we would be for his costs.

The practice manager wrote back that since both the private hospitals here in Launceston are Catholic owned, he can't go there for a vasectomy - he has to go to the public hospital.

I just don't know what to think of this, I mean, I don't really like the fact that religion is getting in the way of going through a preferred hospital system (private vs public) and that we are given no choice as to what provider we want to go through - although I'm stoked that we don't have to pay anything I suppose....

I guess because I'm not a religious person it didn't even occur to me that we wouldn't be able to go through a private hospital to have the procedure done....

WOW! That would never have occured to me.

Sorry you have to go through a service you prefer not to use, thats not very good news :hug:

My DH had it done at the local gp rooms we have private health but he could have it done sooner going thru the gp and got most of it back thru medicare then

That's weird, I didn't realise there were Catholic owned hospitals :o

Sorry to be ignorant, but is the procedure not offered because it's against catholic beliefs? It seems pretty archaic in this day and age...but then again private hospitals are designed to cater to specific people...it would be different if there wasn't a public hospital as well.

Annoying for you guys though!

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That's weird, I didn't realise there were Catholic owned hospitals :o

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You and me both! I mean, yeah, they are called st luke's and st vincents... But still....

PO5 - I don't think gps do it down here? I dunno, we are pretty behind every other state in health care lol well with the exception of having an independent birth centre....

I would imagine so Arcadia, I believe the official stance has relaxed in regards to using condoms, but a surgical procedure would be out of the question I guess.

ETA - Now I think of it Arimeh, we've got them here too, St John of God hospitals. They've got huge crosses on the walls and nuns come around and visit. A couple of my friends birthed there, so they don't seem to discriminate against other religions, but I don't know if they refuse to do vasectomies or tube tying...

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Sorry to be ignorant, but is the procedure not offered because it's against catholic beliefs? It seems pretty archaic in this day and age...but then again private hospitals are designed to cater to specific people...it would be different if there wasn't a public hospital as well.

Annoying for you guys though!

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I'm guessing that's why? And yeah thank god there is a public hospital cos both private hospitals don't have maternity there (only the after care) so all babies are born at the general hospital, well unless you go through the birth centre which costs money!

Unfortunately it's not unheard of due to the fact Catholic's don't condone the use of contraception or some assisted reproduction techniques.

There are Catholic hospitals that won't allow IVF to happen in their buildings. Even when a private consulting Dr is just 'hiring' the space.

Makes me mad!

Um Mel, even if a GP would do it, if I were hubby I wouldn't be happy letting a GP do it!
And I believe Catholic hospitals are still allowed to refuse to provide contraceptive and termination procedures for religious reasons...

Wow..you learn something new every day....

Bit of a pest for you though

Yep, I would be ummm.... “disappointed” too.

And yes, it never occurred to me either that religion would limit our heath care choices.... in this day and age.

My BIL went to a private practice here in Bris... Not that's any help.

DH is going to call them when baby is born.

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I would imagine so Arcadia, I believe the official stance has relaxed in regards to using condoms, but a surgical procedure would be out of the question I guess.

ETA - Now I think of it Arimeh, we've got them here too, St John of God hospitals. They've got huge crosses on the walls and nuns come around and visit. A couple of my friends birthed there, so they don't seem to discriminate against other religions, but I don't know if they refuse to do vasectomies or tube tying...

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You don't have to be catholic to birth there, however you wont have a contraceptive discussion afterwards. My mum couldn't have her tuba ligation there because of that, but she did have her hysterectomy there because it wasn't for contraceptive purposes.

Don't be fooled into thinking that health care is secular. Many private hospitals are religious based - usually Catholic. Our closest private hospital, Calvary, is Catholic based and about 8 years ago they stopped providing fertility services, so now all the women having IVF have to travel to Albury for it.

But as much as I think it is a massive conflict of interest for any religion to have it's say in health care it is understandable because it does go against the principles of that religion.

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But as much as I think it is a massive conflict of interest for any religion to have it's say in health care it is understandable because it does go against the principles of that religion.

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Surely if that is the case though (which is fine) why isn't there another private hospital that isn't owned by a religion so you can at least have a choice where you go? Cos there isn't a choice here - and I dunno, thats just... wrong...

I knew they wouldn't do terminations, but it never occured to me they wouldn't do the snip. I guess it makes sense when you think about it.... (not that I agree, I think if they get govt funding they should provide a full range of services).

It doesnt surprise me... I was more surprised that my kids catholic schools, both primary and high school, have a great safe sex program!! Better than the public schools here!!! :p

Ad has his vasectomy done in a GP office..... they are trained as much as anyone to do them. He was in and out in an hour, didnt need any of his pain killers, one little tiny stitch we can hardly see, and we were "back in the saddle" 5 days later.... ;)

There are only 2 here that do them, so get 90% of the work, instead of going to hossy for day surgery, most prefer the in-out way of the 2 GP's.....Cost $300, got back $160 from medicare.
He also stitched up the ends of the tubes when he cut them, so the chance of them "coming back together" are EXTREMLY small..... :dance:

I've heard of Catholic hospitals refusing to provide IVF treatment, terminations and contraception, so I guess a vasectomy fits into that as well. But weather or not they make it clear that they are Catholic is another thing - our Mercy Hospital is (I think) but the only display of religion is the crucifix in every birth suite and in the foyer, and religion didn't affect any of our treatment during the pregnancy. If I asked for a termination it might be a different story.

:rofl: Eeek are we not allowed to make grammar mistakes anymore...uh oh :hide:

Arimeh, I don't know of any private hospitals that aren't affiliated with a religion? Not saying there aren't any, but our options for private health around here are really limited. But for those that aren't, then it shouldn't be a problem to have it done.

I never thought about that, glad your DH can go somewhere else though.

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Arimeh, I don't know of any private hospitals that aren't affiliated with a religion? Not saying there aren't any, but our options for private health around here are really limited. But for those that aren't, then it shouldn't be a problem to have it done.

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I guess i've never thought that they are affiliated lol!!!

I wouldn't have a clue whether selangor was or not, it certainly wasn't noticeable when I went there for Aricyn and kelti! Lol

You're probably just unlucky that for where you are that there aren't any secular ones. He can still use the PHI in the public hospital though and get his own Dr and all that jazz.

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He can still use the PHI in the public hospital though and get his own Dr and all that jazz.

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Actually he can't!! Strange huh!? This is what the chicky wrote him :"Unfortunately at the moment you cannot elect to be admitted as a private patient at the LGH for this procedure."

Very odd I think!!!

That is odd!!

Maybe the only surgeons that do them there are with the Catholic hossy??

We arent a small town, but we only have one surgeon outside of the 2 GP's that does them here at all!! So the waiting list to go to hossy is twice as long as the GP's.....

There are lots of hospitals owned by religious groups and Catholic hospitals and aged care facilities would be the most prevalent (most Mater hospitals will be Catholic - ever looked at the logos? Also 'St' hospitals, Mercy hospitals, google Catholic hospitals and check out the list!). The church beliefs often dictates services, although I'll be honest and say I didn't consider it for permanent contraception. The hospital is usually an extension of a health service that the church/mission offered in the area many, many years ago and has developed. It used to be that most private hospitals are church-based. Can't really be sure now, because it is more corporatised, but I wouldn't be surprised if they still are.

Our local private hospital (SAN) is Seventh Day Adventist owned. The SAN used to only serve vegetarian food (they now serve some food with meat, but it's a mostly vegetarian menu - yummy too!).

Mel - can your DH go as a private patient or use his own urologist at the public hospital?

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Sorry to be ignorant, but is the procedure not offered because it's against catholic beliefs? It seems pretty archaic in this day and age...but then again private hospitals are designed to cater to specific people...it would be different if there wasn't a public hospital as well.

Annoying for you guys though!

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I personally (as a catholic ;) ) don't believe it is archaic. The catholic belief system is VERY clear about it's stance on contraception. This is a fundamental value and belief underpinning a major component of the religion. Most catholic hospitals (all that I know of) will treat patients who are of other denominations, but it is a bit much to ask a Catholic institution to perform 'elective' proceedures which are in direct contradiction to their morals and faith.

Yeah - i work in a catholic hospital and we are not allowed to provide the contraceptive pill to patients.
Usually when pts come in, we supply all their usual medications and ask them to send the rest home EXCEPT the pill as we are not allowed to provide it.

The Nuns/sisters of charity own a STACK of catholic hospitals, both public and private - if the money didnt have to go back in to the facilities they would be LOADED!!! think of all the real estate

i know someone that could not have a termination done at a catholic hospital despite the fact that for her own health (baby suffered deformities etc) she needed to have it done. Seriously... its nuts.

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Mel - can your DH go as a private patient or use his own urologist at the public hospital?

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nope! Lol

I believe Hobart Private isn't attached to any religion?

Funny though, I had DS and DD at a Wesley group hospital and I still had the contraceptive talk post birth with my OB, although they are UC not catholic so I'm not sure what their stance on contraception is?

Not to start anything but wouldn't a lot of hospital treatments go against religious beliefs? Trust in god, prayer and all that?

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I believe Hobart Private isn't attached to any religion?

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maybe but we're not driving 3 hours with a 4 year old, 2.5 year old, 15 month old and a newborn to find out lol!!!

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maybe but we're not driving 3 hours with a 4 year old, 2.5 year old, 15 month old and a newborn to find out lol!!!

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Gee, where's your sense of adventure! :p

maybe you will just have to keep having more babies ;)

That's crap! It kinda defeats the point of having PHI if you can't use it like that. I know public hospitals love you to use it there because their bills get paid quicker LOL. When Mum was in hospital over december/January she had quite a few private patients stay in the other bed in her room while they waited for a bed at the private hospital and all of them had their own private Drs come and see them.