under the free medicare are you able to go see a different doc for the same thing just to get a second opinion? Is it much hassle/paperwork to get approved?
You’d go back to your regular non-specialist doctor, your GP, and ask for a new referral to a specialist, explain that you want a different one, and why… the GP would give you the referral.
You might end up seeing a “private” specialist - Medicare would pay some money toward it, but the gap, the extra bit, you pay yourself (or if you have medical insurance, your insurer pays it). The insurer doesn’t waste time checking before hand whether you are or are not “approved” - and the “gap” for seeing a specialist might be $200, not much more than that.
If you don’t want to pay any money, then you wait longer for a “public” specialist to be available. It might be the same actual specialist btw, as the public hospitals are good hospitals.
It's not "free" (unless bulk-billed), depends on what specialist and what type of appointment is involved but will range from $20-100
You can go for as many as you like
I've been seeing a specialist for six years under this system, and he has had to close his books for the past two years
There are genuine shortages for a lot of specialists - they personally seem very over worked to me (well paid though)
If a disease is as extreme as the OP though I'm sure the ~$400 max isn't a life altering barrier to entry to a second opinion though