Paying for weight loss surgery with your Superannuation

[Amy* 5]

Hi all,

I can't remember where I read this, but someone mentioned that you can pay for your surgery by withdrawing from your super. I have the form to apply for this, but it says that your medical practitioner (I assume your GP) AND medical specialist (I assume the surgeon) have to confirm in writing that you require treatment for one of the following:

• A life threatening illness or injury, or
• An acute or chronic pain, or
• An acute or chronic mental illness, and
• That the treatment is not readily available through the public health system

I will be attempting to get approval using point one and point four, that it is a life threatening illness and that it is not readily available through the public health system (waiting period is approximately two years).

Has anyone else used this option before? If so, did your medical practitioner and specialist use the 'life threatening condition' option, or something else?

Any help would be great!

[mrs kaje 347]

I have heard it will be denied unless the 'life threatening' box is ticked.

I received three forms from my surgeon; one signed by him, one for the GP and one for me to fill out.

I will probably use super for the gap. I was going to self pay but opted to get PHI instead.

[Amy* 5]

Thanks mrs kaje, I have PHI as well so I'm hopefully going to use super just for the gap too. The wait to go public is just too long!

[mrs kaje 347]

Yesterday I looked through the paperwork and the surgeon has also provided a letter to send to DHS, and it uses the words "life threatening" and some other phrases to back up my application. Maybe your surgeon will do the same.

[pinkie1 36]

If your BMI is in range for the surgery I can not see why any surgeon would not put life threatening, my surgeon has an easy process claim for this, but unfortunately for me here is SA, my super is with SUPER SA and they do not let you get your super out not matter what, if you want it you have to resign and claim then. so I just signed up for private health waited a year and had my surgery last week.

Good luck fingers crossed you

[TeresaLW 1]

@@amy ...

I'm wondering how you got on with all your Process Inquiries around early release of your Super?

I'm now at the point you were back in April 2015.

Did you end up accessing your Super to have Surgery done?

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