Around my groin I have a largish mole that I would like to get rid of, though I don't want anybody knowing about it as it's embarrassing. It's ugly and I'm scared it could lead to skin cancer if I don't remove it. Is there a way I could go to the doctors without my mum knowing? Or do I have to wait till I have a Medicare card of my own? Does a Medicare card cost anything?
Anon.

Yes you can see a doctor confidentially, even if you're too young to have your own Medicare card. A doctor can and must keep confidentiality whenever they see a young person, unless they are concerned about their safety. You can certainly go and talk to a doctor on your own at this stage to get some advice about your mole. A doctor can also decide whether you can give consent to your own treatment if you are under 18 (in some states it's 16). This means that if your doctor thinks you're mature enough to understand what is involved in having a mole removed, and can consent to it without your parents knowing, then they can go ahead and remove it. If removing the mole involves a more complicated operation, because it's big or in a tricky place and therefore might leave a bigger wound or require an anaesthetic, then the doctor is more likely to want your parents to be involved in the decision. Even though you're embarrassed about the mole, the fact that it worries you so much means that it probably is a good idea to involve your mum. I'm sure she would want to know that you're okay. Medicare is a way of being able to afford to see a doctor. It allows you to get money back from the government when you pay for health care. Some doctors "bulk bill", which means they don't charge patients directly, but get you to sign a form so they can get the money back from Medicare themselves. You can find out whether your doctor will bulk bill you so you don't have to pay any cash up front. You then only need to know your Medicare number and give it to the doctor to put on the form you sign. If it's your family doctor, they probably already have your Medicare number on file. You can also ring up Medicare yourself to find out your number, or look on the family's Medicare card and write it down. You can apply for your own Medicare card when you're 15 and it doesn't cost anything. You will then be removed from the family's card.