Yes, MoleMap charges way too much!! I think your GP can do checks and refer you to a dermatologist if needed. A dermatologist will do a way better job - more thorough than MoleMap

that it is so unfair, my husband had a history of moles, and small cancer spots, our doctor sent him for 4 removals, at a small cost to us because we are on pension, however if they had done a proper test on one on his shoulder, which the doctor said it was only a skin spot, they would have saved his life, and if it was not for the physio therapist, that insisted on a full scan on the mass on his shoulder, by than it had gone into his shoulder boans and into his lungs and blood stream, he was gone with in 2 weeks

A lot of skin clinics are medicare.

I think your suggestion is more about identifying sex than taking precautions against cancer. If you are in favor of mole maps, to save a life, what does it matter what sex you are? For most people it is easy to identify the sex, just pull down their pants. Yes, that is unnecessary, People are people never mind what they are or what they believe they are. Without pulling your pants down I, and everyone else, can see your bias. Might you also be a Republican?Edited 12-Feb-24 01:13am

Yes

So true

No need for a mole map. Get a GP to check over your body routinely and a referal to a skin specialist if anything suspicious is found. Had many checks and many skin cancers including melanoma. All caught early by checking. And at little expence.

Totally agree with everything you said. It should be free.

At times is over exposure to sun radiation and some foods can cause mole growth , natural mode of life will help, all in moderation ...

Yyes

Yes

I concur

We get melanomas checked every time we go to the GP. Have never heard of mole map. I do use goggle my self.

Yes it should be free I had a melanoma remove 7 years ago and get checked ever year since have been luck since but have heard that it can return in a right period My wife died of it from one little spot and seven years later was given three months to live we weren't aware of mole scans then either

I have never heard of a mole map so have no idea what it is but I have my skin check every year and so far only one suspicious mole has been found. My husband on the other hand has some sort of mole or spot removed every year. I prefer a specialist in moles because many years ago my youngest son had funny red rings form around 3 moles on his back. I took him to the GP who said they were moles trying to destroy themselves but a few years later when they were still there I took him to a specialist who said they were on their way to Melanoma's and cut great chunks out pf his back. You can't be too careful.

I live in the US, and Melanoma is very rare. However, I agree with you. If you are in an area where it is prevalent, a mold map should be paid for. Another thing that I think is overlooked is men having checks for prostrate. My dad died a horrible death when is spread to his bones. It can be easily diagnosed and treated if caught early. He had it for many years and was afraid to go for treatment. More needs to be said about this. If caught at an older age, and it is the slow-growing type, then no treatment is the best option. I know men who refuse treatment because they are at an age where they will die from something else before the prostate has spread to cause major issues. It does cause symptoms, but they can be lived with. Dad's treatment was far too late and shouldn't have been done at all. It just prolonged it, but a longer life isn't always a better life! I have been upset for years because of his suffering and treatment of a lost cause. Animals are not left to suffer, but people are for the sake of the money being made by the healthcare providers! People don't agree, but when you look into the eyes of a wonderful man who you have looked up to and loved your whole life, and he says, "Somebody please shoot me", it hurts like hell! You will never forget the look on his face, and you have no words to make it better. Being so helpless for someone who gave everything he had to help you, is heart-breaking! Prayers for anyone who is suffering or has a loved one who is suffering. I'm not sure which is worse. I've had breast cancer, and it was an easy journey for me. I'm so fortunate that the mammogram found it so early! It proves early detection saves lives. Don't be afraid to go for testing, every day matters! People love you and you need to love yourself enough to get checkups.

Never heard of mole map but just read about local woman who had a melanoma removed 22 years ago but is now riddled with it & not long to live. No surface signs at all. So hadn’t heard of that. Yes in Western Australia

All age should be free

Never heard of a mole map. My partner has fair skin and goes to a skin doctor every three months who tells him if he's got any more spots which could become melanomas. By keeping up the necessary checks that is the only way to stay sure.

WHY, do you want to give more to PHARMA, you don't have family or doctor to check.? That is how it is and has been done for decades. Maybe read up on Melanoma, prevention is better than cure. NOTHING IS FREE, taxes will pay for more freebies,

Ten years of Coalition Federal Government. Does one Albo equal an Abbott, a Turnbull and a Scomo. One example. How much money was wasted on paying 10(?) times the value of land for a site for an airport? In Victoria we are still suffering from Kennet's cuts. Convenient short-term memory. How dare you. Actually, I feel sorry for you. Now, to the topic at hand. Yes, I agree. Skin mapping for all.

Don't be silly. Albo has far more important things to spend our money on like the failed voice... you're the voice Johnny Farenham... Or Dan who has spent billions of state money on roads rail to nowhere and not to mention the billions we had to pay out on cancelled road contracts when he first came to office... And ofcourse making sure no Australian can afford to buy a home in the lucky country oh not to mention the nice pay check Dan needs to get now that he's retired from politics.Come on what are you thinking where are your priorities Lynda?Edited 11-Feb-24 15:12pm

Yes, totally agree it should be cheaper or free for everyone to get checked. For those that don't know what a mole map is it is a specialist examination of your body to check to see if you have melanoma, cancerous moles etc. maybe google it as it gives more info. As the sun is now more intense, we are getting more skin cancers etc.

I actually had a skin issue last year and my gp said to see the skin clinic specialist to get their opinion. It looked like a form of skin cancer so was really scary ended up having it cut out. Fortunately it wasn’t cancer. I was going to get the Mole map done ages ago but never got round to it. Ended up getting a full check and they photograph areas and take notes. Found another issue lower back so they cut that out as well. I have full medical insurance so cost wasn’t an issue for me. I’m very light skin so am glad I now have things recorded and they first you yearly for follow up checks. I’m so glad the two thngs found turned out to be nothing given cancer running the family

I didn't even think about it, it would save a lot of money.

I think all health should be free! Stop wasting money on immigration of unsavoury sorts, criminals, (a new prison to be built in WA at a cost to the taxpayer of $100mil because the inmates smashed the old one) (ankle tagging criminals let into society by an incompetent judicial system at a huge cost to the taxpayer), and spend the money on the well being of citizens. Govts are elected to care for the people i.e. healthcare, education, essential services etc not waste money on degenerate immigrants and law breakers!

This will sound dreadful, that I am a naysayer, but isn't it time people started looking out for themselves? Why should your taxes go toward paying for my medical expenses that could have been avoided if we had taken precautions as recommended? Why was there no such thing as melanoma in my grandparents' day? My husband had a mole removed at substantial cost (we had been together for 52 years and the mole was exactly the same all those years), yet he died 2 years later from a heart condition aged 79yrs. Just how long do we need to live? The Retirement Industry has become one of the most profitable businesses in NZ, yet this didn't exist in my grandparent's day - I am 75 yrs - and they lived until well into their 80s. The world is full of people being kept alive well past their use-by date, over-population of the world is the biggest problem on Earth!

I had a Melanoma removed a few years ago after a doctor's appointment who notices the mole and felt it should be removed and after the biopsy found it was cancerous. I was very lucky. Get any suspicious looking sore, blemish or mole as soon as possible and forget expensive yearly tests which maybe too late.

Totally new to me .

never heard of it either (& im a nurse) lol

Never heard of mole maps , all health is expensive

I've never heard of "mole maps", but I HAVE HAD melanoma, and - thankfully - the surgeons were able to successfully remove it before it had spread to other areas of the body!!!

What is a mole maps?

I have had moles removed that were not the slightest bit suspicious according to the doctor and it came back as a Melanoma so I had to go back in and have much more cut out. While Mole Maps may be of some use in some cases overall they are simply not worth the money spent doing them or the time it is much easier to go in once a year and have a full skin examination and then let the Quack Rip and remove as much weight as they want to.

While there is no such thing as "free" health care, the amount of the tax money you contribute to health care in a "universal health care" system is reduced because of the availability of preventative tests that find the beginnings of horrible diseases before they become untreatable or so treatment intense that will require months or more in hospital. When you have to decide whether you die from disease, or exposure because you can't pay the rent, or you die from a disease that was at one stage much easier to treat because you had to eat, instead of paying directly for medical care is, in my mind, a completely immoral situation.

I am guessing you are referring to my home country Australia. With the very well deserved Australian of the Year Award going to the University of Sydney Professors Georgina Long AO and Richard Scolyer AO, co-medical directors of the Melanoma Institute Australia I am fairly confident of changes in the future. I think they mentioned in their acceptance speech that they are pushing for a free mole mapping program throughout Australia.

I think a GP or some clinics do it Bulk Billing skin checks, possibly?

I agree.

With all of the warnings you still see people cooking themselves sun baking. When they get a referral to a skin cancer clinic it might sink in. I have problems with sun spots due to my heritage ( Danish and Scottish ) plus being fair skinned. My doctor told me he sees a lot of skin cancers on the bottom of feet as they are not covered when laying flat on the sand.

Definately. Should be free.

yes

Sorry, lynda e, but I'm in the United States, and I have no idea what a "mole" map is, but I suppose it has something to do with moles on the body that might be cancerous. I'm 76, and I feel all preventative services should be free to eliminate hospital visits later on, especially for us older folks! ;-D

Totally agree, My Mum had a malignant melanoma & so did my Brother

Absolutely.

I didn't know what mole mapping was till I looked it up. $200-$400 and not covered by medicare. Last year I had an operation for a blockage in my kidneys and my G.P. is always getting me to get an x-ray to see how it's going. It comes with a rebate but it's still around $300 out of pocket. It doesn't pay to get sick these days.

👍

Vanessa Government please help.

Not to mention the sarcoma he had about 4 years ago. Yes cancer and it grew to the size of a mango. The PA in Brisbane being the only hospital that could do any thing about it. They did a fantastic job and we are extremely grateful. If left he could have lost his arm. Oh but we were told it was a lipoma a fatty lump and it was cosmetic to have it removed. Cost the government a bit I would say and if it had been caught when it was smaller hubby wouldn't have needed a skin flap. They needed to fill the large hole left after removing the sarcoma. We saw lots of people in the hospital with missing limbs, it certainly gave us a shock.

I agree. All Medical tests should be covered by Government and they should make allowance for the cost every year in the National Budget, Fully Indexed and none of the nonsense we have in Australia with the out-dated Medicare System which result in everyone having to pay a Gap Fee because successive federal Governments have not included Indexation considerations when creating the National Budget. Weird isn't it? Governments almost automatically increase Budget provisions for Defence just in case someone decides to attack us, Education usually gets an annual boost to funding but health gets cuts to funding. No matter how good the Education system is, or the number of A and H Bombs, Drones, Tanks, Submarines etc, we have, if we don't have a Healthy Population then we don't have a nation at all.

No need for a map, I know where all the moles are, they leave little piles of dirt at the entrance/exit to their dens... My cat loves catching them and tearing them to bits...

Yes and you would think the government would have some thing like that especially here in Australia. I can remember I was unemployed and I went to see a skin specialist and I was told by my GP it wouldn't cost me any thing to go. Any way this was in the 80's the skin specialist I saw for about no more than 5 minutes and she wanted to charge me $280. I don't know what they did as I said I can't afford that and my GP said there wouldn't be any costs, Oh well didn't their attitudes change and they basically wanted me out of their office in case of a scene I was thinking and they took my medicare card number and my healthcare card. I have never seen a skin specialist since. Hubby had one before we went on our trip around Australia, can't remember if we had to pay or it was free. Was some time ago too like 12 years ago. He has had some issues getting things cut cut, GP's out here just are so blas about the whole issue. Like giving cream to a wound that won't heal that ended up being cancerous. Edited 11-Feb-24 10:23am

I think all preventive medical tests should be done for free, then things would not be so expensive fixing issues that could have been prevented by a free test, bad economics all round really

HI Norman L..

Yes agree they should provide the test as Grant said pevention is better than cure

I used to get regular skin checks, until they identified a melanoma. From then on it’s mole mapping. It’s costs an arm and a leg! My health fund extras wouldn’t cover it but they’d cover running shoes! So I cancelled my extras cover! It helps pay for my mole mapping. In Australia, a person gets diagnosed with melanoma every 30 minutes. Screening should definitely be provided at a reduced rate. It would reduce the burden on public health if cancer is caught earlier rather than when it’s a huge problem.

Quite agree. Prevention is far better than cure.

mole mapping it where they use a specil light and can see if you are clear of the dreadded moles it,s free in queensland but they rip you off in victoria

Never heard of mole map

I have no idea what mole mapping is. I’ve never heard of it until now.

Uncertain as I have no idea what mole mapping isEdited 11-Feb-24 08:46am

Never heard of mole mapping

Never heard of mole mapping and no idea what it costs to say whether or not it is expensive. If the military budget were cut we could invest more in more important things like this that would benefit more people than multibillion dollar contracts that get cancelled (so they have to pay cancellation fees) or the costs sky rocket (and by the time the things are ready they are even more out of date and useless than when first ordered and have had NO VALUE to anyone except for the politicians who got kickbacks approving the companies who got the contracts (and they usually have vested interests in these companies). Our taxes could be better spent on free tertiary education for all and free health services for all than the obscene amount that is thrown at the military for nothing.

My GP checks my skin as part of the consultation, no extra charges.

There is a time in one's life that all these "free" things become pointless.If one is elderly and has many other medical/health conditions what is the point of any these "free' 'check ups'? I am in my 70's of good health but would rather see younger people have the use of the "free". I will do/have trials to help others but as for bowel screening, melanoma screening, mammograms etc it is a waste of tax payer dollars for someone who has likely no more than 10 or 20 years to Maybe contribute to society

number 1 killer...it should be a mandatory skin check, along with a regular check up with a doctor, to do a thorough skin check along with blood pressure etc. It will take up your 15 minute standard visit, but worth your life..... Instead of doctors heading straight for a prescription pad..in this day..a printer

I go to a skin specialist trained technician at my GP’s surgery every year. The cost is affordable and the technician is thorough. I too feel that mole map is cost prohibitive

It's free in Queensland if you go to a bulk billing surgery,

Put it on the health system immediately. This is important to all Australians.

Nothing is ever "free" - someone has to pay for it. People already pay out a lot of money in taxes for "free" / subsidised services they never use. Is its better for you to pay higher and higher taxes to get more "free" / subsidised things for everyone, or is it better for you to pay less taxes and personally pay for the treatments *you* need? If taxes were lower, then businesses *shouldn't* have to charge as much (unfortunately the greed factor means prices wouldn't change). Edited 12-Feb-24 08:53am

I agree, it would benefit all ages. I also don’t understand the stopping of free mammograms when you turn 70. It is not like you don’t get breast cancer after 70.

i think studies are important

Yes it makes sense maybe we could make it a l’optons prize for 100 lucky players each week

My GP checks my skin on a regular basis for irregularities and I feel comfortable with that, Just this past week I had a small basal cell carcinoma removed from my back by him, at a skin clinic he runs weekly, at no cost - funded by the Ministry of Health. So you "oldies" in NZ there is some hope out there for those of us on restricted budgets.

Yes any proven treatment that saves life should be funded by the health authorities

Vote for a government that will provide!

HM, NEVER HEARD ABOUT THIS..

I've never ever heard of them. That means most politicians won't have ether.

interesting thought how about prostate cancer

Well said Linda. It would be a great thing to have. Maybe contact your Health Minister with a cc to 1) the College of Physicians and Surgeons and 2) your provincial Health rep., and the head of Cancercare. Skin cancer is on the rise. You can affect change. Just a suggestion. Best of luck!

Check ups are needed every year.

3what the hell is a mole map

unfortunately, that is not how health care works in capitalistic countries

A pensioner can go to a bulk billing doctor if they can find one and get a free skin check. I have had a few and I have had a number of skin cancers removed either burnt or cut out including one off the side of my nose. Yes they have free mammograms and again I have had them and he last one I had I was called into the main check up place as they found a discrepancy. There were so many women there and that was just over 3 hours that I was in the rooms. All ages too. Thankfully, I was OK but I have to go back next year. Yes having free skin checks would be great but I guess only so much money is in the coffers for health let's face it. Prostate checks are another that should be free also as so many men get this and we know they tend to ignore the signs. Our health system is in disarray with money wasted on things that just should not have any money allotted to it. We need to get the politicians to get it right. Security including cyber, health, housing, cost of living, crime (especially youth crime). These are the main things that should be focused on and money put to. Let's get a few things under control.