HyperMED Fees and Charges - 2009

 

All fees and charges are quoted in Australian Dollars.

All patients attend in a 'private pay' capacity - at this stage NO billing is directed to Third Party Insurance or Medicare.

  • Initial clinic consultation including preceding emails and telephone items $375

  • Subsequent review consultation including investigations, protocols, implementation $175

  • Hyperbaric Oxygenation 1-hour $175 (currently $150)

  • Adult and or Pediatric Lokomat (Robotic Gait Assisted Walking) 1-hour (45-minutes active) $275 (currently $225). Under a Medicare co-payment or Third Party insurance claim - Lokomat will be charged between $375-425 per hour

  • Modalities including - Vibration therapy (Power Plate), Neuro-Acupuncture, immune stimulating injections $85

  • All prices are subject to change - we will continue to endeavor to provide additional support to established patients

Pay on the day policy

Patients are required to pay on the day of attendance; 24-hours notice is required to change or cancel appointments other wise you will be charged the fee for the hours you were scheduled. Surcharge of 4% applies for general Credit cards; 7% AMEX and Diners.

 

What does Medicare cover?

Medicare and or Third Party Insurance does NOT cover Hyperbaric Oxygenation for Neurologic and or Orthopedic disorders.

Hyperbaric Oxygenation

Public funding for Hyperbaric Oxygenation (HBOT) in monoplace or multiplace chambers is limited to the following conditions: decompression illness, gas gangrene, air or gas embolism, diabetic wounds (including gangrene and foot ulcers), necrotising soft tissue infections (including necrotising fasciitis), Fournier’s gangrene and prevention and treatment of osteoradionecrosis.

  • Medicare Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing GPO Box 9848 Canberra ACT 2601 Australia -  advises that HBOT is cost-effective for diabetic wounds and necrotising soft-tissue infections, but may cost an average of $28,480 per case providing an average of between 60-80-hours HBOT.

What about Lokomat?

Lokomat (Robotic Gait Assisted Walking) is currently NOT covered by Medicare or Third Party Insurance.

 

Lokomat World Wide?

Approximately 200-Lokomats are located in most leading Rehabilitation Hospitals world wide. In excess of 55-Lokomats feature in the USA - all spinal and most neurodegenerative disorders attract government funding. Most leading hospitals in EU countries also feature intensive Lokomat based rehabilitation programs. Mexico installed 12-Lokomat systems in 2008 and more recently Apollo Hospital in India features India's first Lokomat. 

  • Virtually ALL countries provide Medical Insurance funding for a range of neurologic disorders including acute (< 6months) and chronic (> 6months) spinal injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, neurodegenerative gait disorders, cerebral palsy etc.

What is the alternative to Lokomat (Robotic Gait Assisted Walking)?

Activity based rehabilitation referred to as Body Weight Treadmill Training (BWSTT) has been the International Standard for the past 15-years. Body Weight Treadmill Training (BWSTT) is where the injured spinal patient is suspended over a moving treadmill requiring 2-therapist either side of the patient moving the patients legs repeatedly. This is exhausting for therapists requiring a bank of therapist notwithstanding the lack of accuracy when compared to the accurate repeated action provided by the Lokomat robotic exoskeleton. Further only 1-technical staff is required to operate and supervise a patient whilst on the Lokomat.

  • In the USA current funding for 2-therapists providing BWSTT is typically US$396 per hour. USA Lokomat funding is considerably higher and varies between US$400-550 per hour!

  • Shriners Pediatric Hospital USA - US $300 per hour session

  • Australian rehabilitation does NOT provide and the government does NOT fund simple Body Weight Treadmill Training (BWSTT)

Australian based Lokomat?

Due to the high capital cost and lack of funding only 1-Lokomat exists in Australia - HyperMED NeuroRecovery.

 

What are the 'real costs' associated with HyperMED NeuroRecovery?

Lokomat Adult and Pediatric systems are manufactured by Hocoma International based in Zurich. HyperMED installed both Adult and Pediatric systems in December 2006.

  1. Lokomat Pro Adult Module $330,000 Euro

  2. Lokomat Pro Pediatric Module $90,000 Euro

TOTAL $420,000 Euro  AUD $750,000

HyperMED direct cost associated with Lokomat Adult and Pediatric systems

  1. Current monthly lease $7800 - $94,000 per annum

  2. Annual warranty service contract - $26,000 per annum

  3. Technical and administrative support - $60,000 per annum

  4. Fixed items - building, power etc - $15,500 per annum

TOTAL  HyperMED Lokomat system at cost $195,500 per annum

 

Operating cost

  • 4 patients per day day or 20-hours per week over 48-weeks or 960 operating hours per year -

HyperMED Lokomat operating cost - $204 per hour

  • 6 patients per day or 30-hours per week over 48-weeks or 1440 operating hours per year -

HyperMED Lokomat operating cost - $136 per hour

 

We believe that a Lokomat billable rate between $375-425 reasonable; this will be our future reference attracting Medicare co-payment or Third Party Insurance coverage including TAC and WorkCover. However for this current period no Medicare or Third Party payment exists - private charges for Lokomat will remain at $275 per hour.

 

Additional Comment

  • Individual Hyperbaric Chambers at cost $200,000 - yearly service contract $6,000 each.

  • Power Plate at cost $20,000.

  • Oxygen, Injections and disposables $35 per item.