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Health insurance for cataract surgery

Cataract surgery is covered by top-tier health insurance – compare costs, waiting times and out-of-pocket expenses.

What you need to know

Private health insurance that covers cataract surgery

Below are some policies from Finder partners that cover cataract surgery.

Cataract surgery is covered under some silver plus and all gold-tier policies. All have a 2-month waiting period before you can claim or 12 months if it is a pre-existing condition.

1 - 25 of 25
Name Product Treatments Price Apply
Frank Max Hospital 750 (Silver+)
Silver Plus$750 excess
  • Lung and chest
  • Back neck and spine
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
  • Blood
  • Dental surgery
  • Palliative care
  • Pregnancy and birth
  • +24 other treatments covered
$161.04
per month
  • Lung and chest
  • Back neck and spine
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
  • Blood
  • Dental surgery
  • Palliative care
  • Pregnancy and birth
  • +26 other treatments covered
$162.51
per month
Silver Plus Hospital $750
Silver Plus$750 excess
  • Lung and chest
  • Back neck and spine
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
  • Blood
  • Dental surgery
  • Palliative care
  • Pregnancy and birth
  • +27 other treatments covered
$167.59
per month
Silver Plus Hospital $750/$1500
Silver Plus$750 excess
  • Lung and chest
  • Back neck and spine
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
  • Blood
  • Dental surgery
  • Palliative care
  • Pregnancy and birth
  • +25 other treatments covered
$169.22
per month
  • Lung and chest
  • Back neck and spine
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
  • Blood
  • Dental surgery
  • Palliative care
  • Pregnancy and birth
  • +27 other treatments covered
$172.26
per month
  • Lung and chest
  • Back neck and spine
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
  • Blood
  • Dental surgery
  • Palliative care
  • Pregnancy and birth
  • +27 other treatments covered
$172.27
per month
  • Lung and chest
  • Back neck and spine
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
  • Blood
  • Dental surgery
  • Palliative care
  • Pregnancy and birth
  • +26 other treatments covered
$174.12
per month
Silver Plus Hospital $500
Silver Plus$500 excess
  • Lung and chest
  • Back neck and spine
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
  • Blood
  • Dental surgery
  • Palliative care
  • Pregnancy and birth
  • +27 other treatments covered
$177.01
per month
Silver Plus Advanced Hospital 750
Silver Plus$750 excess
  • Lung and chest
  • Back neck and spine
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
  • Blood
  • Dental surgery
  • Palliative care
  • Pregnancy and birth
  • +27 other treatments covered
$178.42
per month
Silver Plus Hospital $500/$1000
Silver Plus$500 excess
  • Lung and chest
  • Back neck and spine
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
  • Blood
  • Dental surgery
  • Palliative care
  • Pregnancy and birth
  • +25 other treatments covered
$178.87
per month
  • Lung and chest
  • Back neck and spine
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
  • Blood
  • Dental surgery
  • Palliative care
  • Pregnancy and birth
  • +27 other treatments covered
$179.09
per month
  • Lung and chest
  • Back neck and spine
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
  • Blood
  • Dental surgery
  • Palliative care
  • Pregnancy and birth
  • +26 other treatments covered
$184.22
per month
  • Lung and chest
  • Back neck and spine
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
  • Blood
  • Dental surgery
  • Palliative care
  • Pregnancy and birth
  • +27 other treatments covered
$184.33
per month
Silver Plus Advanced Hospital 500
Silver Plus$500 excess
  • Lung and chest
  • Back neck and spine
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
  • Blood
  • Dental surgery
  • Palliative care
  • Pregnancy and birth
  • +27 other treatments covered
$187.79
per month
Silver Plus Hospital $200/$400
Silver Plus$200 excess
  • Lung and chest
  • Back neck and spine
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
  • Blood
  • Dental surgery
  • Palliative care
  • Pregnancy and birth
  • +25 other treatments covered
$194.62
per month
  • Lung and chest
  • Back neck and spine
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
  • Blood
  • Dental surgery
  • Palliative care
  • Pregnancy and birth
  • +26 other treatments covered
$205.29
per month
  • Lung and chest
  • Back neck and spine
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
  • Blood
  • Dental surgery
  • Palliative care
  • Pregnancy and birth
  • +27 other treatments covered
$216.56
per month
Silver Plus Family Hospital 750
Silver Plus$750 excess
  • Lung and chest
  • Back neck and spine
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
  • Blood
  • Dental surgery
  • Palliative care
  • Pregnancy and birth
  • +28 other treatments covered
$223.91
per month
Frank Gold Hospital
Gold$750 excess
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
  • Palliative care
  • Pregnancy and birth
  • Sleep studies
  • Weight loss surgery
  • Rehabilitation
  • Insulin pumps
  • +30 other treatments covered
$226.63
per month
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
  • Palliative care
  • Pregnancy and birth
  • Sleep studies
  • Weight loss surgery
  • Rehabilitation
  • Insulin pumps
  • +30 other treatments covered
$228.93
per month
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
  • Palliative care
  • Pregnancy and birth
  • Sleep studies
  • Weight loss surgery
  • Rehabilitation
  • Insulin pumps
  • +30 other treatments covered
$237.33
per month
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
  • Palliative care
  • Pregnancy and birth
  • Sleep studies
  • Weight loss surgery
  • Rehabilitation
  • Insulin pumps
  • +30 other treatments covered
$245.25
per month
advanced hospital gold
Gold$750 excess
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
  • Palliative care
  • Pregnancy and birth
  • Sleep studies
  • Weight loss surgery
  • Rehabilitation
  • Insulin pumps
  • +30 other treatments covered
$249.32
per month
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
  • Palliative care
  • Pregnancy and birth
  • Sleep studies
  • Weight loss surgery
  • Rehabilitation
  • Insulin pumps
  • +30 other treatments covered
$253.17
per month
advanced hospital gold
Gold$500 excess
  • Cataracts
  • Joint replacements
  • Palliative care
  • Pregnancy and birth
  • Sleep studies
  • Weight loss surgery
  • Rehabilitation
  • Insulin pumps
  • +30 other treatments covered
$273.07
per month
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All prices are based on a single individual with less than $90,000 income and living in Sydney.

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How much is cataract surgery?

The cost of cataract surgery depends on whether you use the public or private system and whether you have private health insurance. The table below contains the key details.

Cover typeCost (out-of-pocket)Details
Public hospital under MedicareFreeWaiting lists for surgery in a public hospital can be long, typically 158 days (5+ months). You may need to pay extra for premium lenses.
Private hospital without cover$1,700 – $4,000+ per eyeWaiting period for surgery depends on surgeon availability. In many cases, the procedure can be performed immediately. You may also need to pay for specialist consultations.
Private hospital cover$700A 2-month waiting period before you can claim or 12 months with a pre-existing condition. The waiting period for surgery depends on surgeon availability. The out-of-pocket costs vary based on your fund and surgeon.

How does Medicare cover cataract surgery?

Cataract surgery is covered by Medicare, which means that public patients will have to pay nothing if they undergo the procedure in a public hospital. You will have to pay for the lenses if you want access to premium lenses not covered by Medicare.

The average waiting time for cataract extraction was 158 days in 2021–2022, according to data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. 10.6% of people waited over a year for surgery. Australians in NSW and NT are likely to wait even longer, with median waits at 278 and 200 days respectively.

If you live in a state with a long waiting period or your vision is seriously affected, you might consider comparing private health insurance for shorter waiting times.

42702

This is the Medical Benefits Schedule (MBS) item number typically used for cataract surgery – to remove the lens from an eye because it is no longer clear. It is replaced by an artificial lens so the person can continue to see.

How does private insurance cover cataract surgery?

You can get private health insurance for cataract surgery with all gold-tier hospital policies and some silver plus policies.

Waiting periods vary depending on the surgeon but generally, it can be performed immediately. Unlike the public system, you will be able to choose your specialist as well as when and where you have the surgery done.

Costs generally range from $35 to $40 per week for gold-tier health insurance. This covers you for all 38 clinical categories.

Gold-tier policies are tailored to people with chronic illnesses and the elderly. They include lots of other services such as joint replacement and insulin pumps. Keep in mind that 12 waiting periods apply for pre-existing conditions.

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