If you need your tonsils or adenoids removed, private health insurance has you covered. All you need is a basic policy, and you can pick your own doctor to do the procedure. A basic policy can be quite affordable, and in addition to the tonsil and adenoid removal cover, you'll be covered for accidental injury, ambulance transport and more.
You'll find this treatment in hospital cover. Below you will find a selection of policies from Finder partners that cover adenoid and tonsil removal. All have a 12 month waiting period for pre-existing conditions, and 2 months for new. All prices are based on a single individual with less than $93,000 income and living in Sydney.
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With private health insurance, tonsils or adenoids removal is covered with a basic hospital policy. It generally comes with a $500 excess and is classed as "surgical removal of tonsils or adenoids".
Whilst it can cost a little more, private health cover ensures your child's health is your primary concern, not the cost of treatment. There's also a lot less waiting around, so you or your child will get the procedure they need faster.
Private health insurance allows you to use the services of a private ear, nose and throat specialist (ENT), so you know your child is in the best possible hands. It also lets you choose your own doctor and when you want the procedure.
Doctors usually place you under general anaesthesia during adenoid or tonsil removal. Because adenoids and tonsils can be accessed through the back of the throat, they don't need to make any external incisions.
The surgeon will cauterize and cut away your tonsils or adenoid tissue. In most cases, the surgery takes less than an hour, and you can go home on the same day. It's common that your doctor will remove both the tonsils and adenoids since they both cause similar problems.
Although adenoid removal surgery is generally safe, the possible side effects and risks include:
Although adenoid removal can improve sleep and reduce the occurrence of a sore ear and throat, it's important for parents to remember that they will not disappear completely.
A tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy can be performed at a public or private hospital. However, the cost, waiting times and extra benefits will differ depending on which system you are treated under.
In 2016-2017, wait times for adenoid and tonsil removal in the public system was around 56 days. In private hospitals, waiting times were around 25 days.
Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) Private health insurance use in Australian hospitals 2006–07 to 2016–17
The removal of tonsils and adenoids is a common procedure for children to have done, which makes having private health cover important for families. However, it’s not just children who have their tonsils removed, so it’s something to think about even as you get older.
Surgery to remove the tonsils and adenoid glands is covered by Medicare, but waiting lists can make public cover an unattractive option for children. This is one of the reasons why having private health insurance is so important. Not only can private health insurance help you avoid waiting lists, it also provides you with the opportunity to choose your own doctor.
The following questions will help you find a ENT specialist and prepare for a tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy procedure.
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