We offer informed financial consent to all our patients prior to surgery. This is a pre-treatment estimate of your surgical costs. 

While the fees charged may depend on the specific course of treatment, our practice's standard fees are in line with the Australian Medical Association recommended fee schedule. This means that in most instances there will be a ‘gap’ between our surgical fee and what is covered by Medicare and your health insurance fund.

If there is any problem with either the fee estimate or any other billing issue, it is important that you ask our staff. They can help you navigate what can be a complex process by either advising and helping explain the charges and rebate structure. 

All Fee Categories

Our practice fees for either Consulting or  Surgery may sometimes only be part of your treatment cost. 

Other possible fees or disbursements involved in your care are dependant on which course of action is chosen for your treatment. You may need to also check with your health fund to see what is covered for additional areas of service. Potential fee categories to be sure of can include:

• Hospital Fees,
• Surgical Assistant Fees,
• Implants or Prosthesis Costs,
• Anaesthetists Fees,
• Diagnostic Tests (Radiology, Pathology), and
• Post-Operative Care.

Patients with Private Health Insurance (for bariatrics)

Having private health insurance to cover bariatric surgery is usually the best option. Not only are you covered for most in-patient hospital services, you are covered for anything that might happen - if you need an extra night in hospital, more tests or investigations, medications etc.

The most common item numbers are 31575 (sleeve gastrectomy) or 31572 (gastric bypass)

If you have private health which covers bariatric surgery this will include the following:

• Hospital theatre - all costs involved with the products used in theatre, including all staples, prosthetics, skin glues and other devices
• Hospital stay - your inpatient stay each night, whether this is on the ward or in ICU/CCU/HDU
• Anaesthetic medications and devices

There will be partial cover towards the following, depending on your insurer:

• Hospital medications - including discharge medications
• Hospital tests and investigations - there will be partial cover towards any inpatient blood tests or scans
• Allied health - Dietitian and Physician appointments may be partially covered depending on your level of cover

There will be a gap for the following

• Surgeon fee - there is an out of pocket cost which will be quoted at the time of consultation
• Anaesthetic fee - there is an out of pocket cost which can be quote by your allocated anaesthetist

Patients with no Private Health Insurance (for bariatrics)

If you do not have the appropriate level of PHI, you can either have a consultation and await the 12 month waiting period or proceed uninsured (in selected circumstances, discuss with your surgeon to see if you are medically suitable).

Some charges will be partially covered by Medicare such as:

• Surgeon fee - contribution towards outpatient consultation as well as surgery
• Hospital expenses – Theatre costs, bed allocation and equipment costs as well as extras such as pathology/radiology/pharmacy
• Anaesthetic fees – partial Medicare rebate
• Dietitian appointments – no rebate

Early access to superannuation for compassionate reasons

Some patients may be eligible to use their super to pay towards the out of pocket costs.  Please discuss this with your surgeon at your first consultation.