The future is female

My first cousin was also treated for breast cancer and according to her as a breast cancer survivor, her out of pocket expenses amounted to a few hundred dollars.

An initial pregnancy ultrasound, used to determine whether a woman is pregnant, costs more than a basic ultrasound on a man's scrotum.", Alison Branley. How can anyone compare the cost of two different ultrasonic procedures performed on a pregnant woman and man's scrotum?

Firstly, for those who are not familiar with the female anatomy the uterus is an internal organ that normally sits low on the pelvic floor. For the sonographer to be able to image the uterus in the early stages of pregnancy, the ultrasound requires for the woman to have a full bladder, otherwise the sonographer will have difficulty in obtaining an image of the uterus an internal organ. At the same time if a foetus is present, measurements will be taken to determine the age of the gestation by the sonographer. With the increasing level of obesity in the population this procedure is becoming a much more difficult to perform.

The scrotum is an external organ and is far easier and simpler to perform a scan. Unlike the uterus, usually no babies are found in a scrotum.

The ABC specialist investigative team raises three key points.

Key points:

• Data shows women spend more on out-of-pocket medical costs than men.
• Doctors and patients got in touch with the ABC following a story on increasing medical imaging costs.
• Experts say there is a systemic "underinvestment" in women's health.

The first key point that women spend more than men on out-of-pocket expenses, seems to demonstrate a gender bias. However,the real factor is women, regardless of being pregnant or not, visit the doctor ona more regular basis than men and for reproduction issues that do not affect men.

The second key point points to the increasing medical imaging costs.

The medical diagnostic services industry in Australia has, in many instances been privatised, and some of these companies are listed on the stock exchange. So again, fees charged by these private companies are not regulated by governments. Shareholder return is the number one priority of companies listed on the stock exchange.

"Under Investment in Women's Health", such a broad sweeping statement, plays on the emotive idea that women are being neglected, and this is a very good example of the gamma bias.

The Medicare rebate levy is determined by the Federal Government, the fees charged by obstetricians and gynaecologists are unregulated. Last century, in order to reduce out of pocket expenses for women, the Medicare rebate for obstetric procedures was increased, and within a short period of time the Obstetricians raised their consultancy fees, cancelling any cost saving benefit for obstetric patients.