How ROMAC works.
We pay full fees for ICU, hospital and other services in public hospitals. The surgeons and certain other staff provide their services free of charge.
Prior to an overseas embassy granting a visa we must provide a quotation from the hospital with a schedule of dental, pre-op check and operation dates. PLUS we must provide a certificate from Dept of Human Services (provided in conjunction with the hospital) certifying that "no Australian child will be disadvantaged" as a result of this treatment.
So no overseas patient (ROMAC, private or other) is scheduled that could adversely impact an Australian patient. ROMAC has very close contact with the Overseas Cardiac Coordinator at RCH and we constantly juggle dates to fit with availabities.
ICU availability is not predictable and even when we get patients here the operation dates can change. Cardiac cases frequently are the cases that get deferred as they are long term life saving but not short term critical.
This information is provided in case you hear any criticism of overseas patients being treated instead of Australian patients.
It's complex as every child is as important as any another child but as Australian taxes pay for the hospital so government policy is that Australian cases are entitled to priority.
John Benger
Southern Region Director ROMAC
Email: jbenger@bigpond.net.au
John Benger - Southern Region Director
John is a member of the Rotary Club of Richmond and is a Sapphire Paul Harris Fellow. He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and a Member of the National Institute of Accountants. John is now semi retired after a career that included national and international management roles mainly in high tech companies. His other interests are golf, travel and family.
| PP Brian Chambers (Jenny) Rotary Club of Heidelberg District Coordinator for ROMAC (H) (03) 9455 1117 (M) 0418 551 507 Email: romac@rotary9790.org.au |
