Did I get ripped? Class 1 Medical Costs

[Jazzy78910]

So I recently undertook my Initial Class 1 Medical, and I get the feeling I have had to pay far too much...

I live in a smaller town (not a capital city), so I was expecting to pay a bit more than the average, but I'm not sure if this is bordering on the ridiculous?

Consultation with DAME:
Health Questions
General Checkup
Hearing Test
Basic Eye Test
ECG Heart Test
Urine Test
$330.00 AUD inc

Consultation with Ophthalmologist:
Specific Eye Tests
De-briefing the next day with results
$250.00 AUD inc

QML Pathology blood tests:
Blood Glucose
Cholesterol etc
$92.00 AUD inc (Doc told me I wouldn't have to pay, but apparently this cannot be bulk billed as its a commercial medical)

CASA processing fee:
$75.00 AUD inc (Yet to be taken from my credit card, but I assume it will after the test results have all been compiled.

So thats around $750.00 AUD inc all up, and I for some reason (maybe I read it), was expecting more like $300 - $400...

So have I been ripped, or is this pretty standard pricing for an initial class 1?

Thanks for replies.
Jazz

[BlinkC182]

From what I can recall my cost was - $210 for the doc (which included the blood test fee) $220 for the ophthalmologist (no debriefing required, just told on the spot that all was ok, although I did have to go back a few days later to have my eyes checked with contacts in, at no extra cost) and something around the $70 mark for the CASA fee.

I think your doctor is the one who stings.

[ausindo]

I have yet to do my Class 1 Medical, and I am going through my GFPT, but I too would like to know the average costs that will be incurred for DAME and Ophthalmologist in the Sydney area.

Does anyone have any suggestions as well, check CASA's website but there are so many and I am trying to find the best deal!

[maverick22]

Best advice is to shop around first. Make some phone calls and get prices. Even better, ask other pilots who they would recommend in your area. Also, it's one thing getting a bargain, but you also want a decent doc who knows what they're on about.

[Blue Carpet]

My Class One

DAME: $150
Ophthalmologist: $140
CASA processing fee: $75

$365

[tmpffisch]

I'd say absolutely, but factor in the small town location....

My inital class one, done in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne last year was:

Consultation with DAME:
Health Questions
General Checkup
Hearing Test
Basic Eye Test
ECG Heart Test
Urine Test
$165.00 AUD inc

Consultation with Ophthalmologist:
Specific Eye Tests
De-briefing the next day with results
$165.00 AUD inc

QML Pathology blood tests:
Blood Glucose
Cholesterol etc
$0.00 AUD inc

CASA processing fee:
$75.00 AUD inc

[harrip]

Is the Ophthalmologist inspectoin only required for the initial issue of a Class 1, or for the renewals also?

[Hasselhof]

Initial issue and a handful of other times over the years

[Jazzy78910]

I guess this just cements my decision to up and move to a capital city to undertake my training.

If a doc can rip people for this much extra, god knows how much more I'd be paying locally for the flight training. From my initial inquiries of local training costs, it also sounds like more than it should be...

Jazz

[Mr. Hat]

Throw it on the aviation tab big fella. Round it up to to 100k for an atpl. Round figures are easier to work with...

[Track5milefinal]

Yes, you were ripped off!!

In Adelaide i payed $100 for GP appointment (DAME)
$85 for my Opth appointment and the $75 for the CASA processing fee.

That was Initial aswell.

I think it depends on where you live! Sydney seems to be the biggest ripoff!!
Nothing in Aviation is cheap!!

[makespeed250kt]

Last Class 3 renewal:

DAME consultation = $164.45

ECG = $49.65 charged as a seperate item

Total = $214.10 not including CASA fees

Forgot to mention test was conducted in a Melbourne suburban practice,

Cheers

[ABX]

Jazz,

Yep you were ripped. I'm not at home right now so I can't check my paperwork, but my Class 1 cost about $500 all up.

Opthalmologist at Shepparton, DAME and eveything else at Albury.

CPL/MECIR at Albury for $50K - why pay $100K in the city?

Happy New Year.

ABX

[Mr. Hat]

De-briefing the next day with results

F@rk me dead Jazzy anyone would think you will be joining NASA for a mission to Mars. Seriously its a bit of an over kill 750 bucks.

[ausindo]

Can I get a ball park figure as to how much it would cost to do the medical including Opth. as so that I am not getting ripped off.

Thanks guys!

[tmpffisch]

ausindo

DAME - $165 (incl. ECG, urine & blood workup)
Audiologist - $50
Opthamologist - $165

[The Green Goblin]

In a small country town I sometimes got slugged up to $250 for a medical fee from my DAME, felt pretty jibbed with that at the time.

First medical i payed $50 for the DAME and a couple of hundred for the Ophalmologist. There were no CASA cost recovery measures in place at the time.

Medical booked this week, DAME is $90 plus the CASA slice

[ausindo]

Thank you tmpffisch, I live in the south west and I remember last time someone was going to charge me $200 for DAME, however I have forgotten which place it was.

I hear that the one near Bankstown airport is not good either for a DAME, do you have any suggested areas in Sydney, I am happy to travel all the way to Chatswood or else where.

[Tiger 77]

wow, the day i have to pay $750 for a medical is the day i'll be starting my new job driving a bus Absolutely crazy!

Last year...

Dame: $132
+ casa fee ($70 ish i think)

$330 just for a consultation with a dame seems way too high, no matter which small town you're in.

Cheers

Tiger

[flypy]

tmpffsch: Who's your DAME? I like the price of that..

Doctor $290
Optho $90
Audio $0
Patho $0 (so far)
CASA $75

So, I did better than I thought i would.

Initial Class 1 issue.