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Varicose Vein Treatment
You can get cover for varicose vein treatment with Medicare or a Silver Insurance Policy, provided the treatment is medically necessary. Compare the costs of both below.
To be eligible for a Medicare rebate, the varicose vein procedure needs to be medically necessary and not just cosmetic. You'll find hospital treatment for varicose veins under Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) item numbers including 32523, 32500, 32504 and 32507.
For treatment in a public hospital, you should have minimal to no out of pocket costs. In a private hospital, Medicare will cover between 75% and 85% of the MBS (Medicare Benefits Schedule) fee, then you and your health insurer will cover the rest. Here are the recommended MBS fees - note that most private hospitals will charge more than this.
32507: The recommended MBS fee is $550.30.
32523: The recommended MBS fee is $550.30.
32504: For multiple excision of tributaries, the MBS fee is $276.05.
32500: The recommended MBS fee is $113.20.
Private health insurance for varicose veins
Private surgery for varicose veins is generally covered under heart and vascular services on silver or gold policies. A silver policy generally costs around $20* a week and will usually cover surgery as well as laser and endovenous therapies.
Like Medicare, private surgery for varicose veins must be medically necessary to be covered by the majority of insurers. The removal of spider veins, for instance, usually isn't covered by insurance as it's often only done for cosmetic reasons.
Health insurance policies that cover varicose vein treatment
Here are some policies from Finder partners that will cover medically necessary treatment for varicose veins in a hospital. All prices are based on a single individual with less than $93,000 income and living in Sydney.
Depending on your age, you may be eligible for an
aged-based discount. This is used to estimate your
rebate.
Under 65
65 - 69
70 or older
What's your household's taxable income?
This is the combined income you and your spouse earn before tax. It's needed to calculate the correct Australian government rebate.
$93,000 and under
$93,001 to $108,000
$108,001 to $144,000
$144,001 and over
What kind of health insurance do you need?
Combined (Extras + Hospitals)
Extras
Hospital
What level of hospital coverage would you like?
You can change this at any time later.
Legend
Covered
Restricted cover, You may be partially covered for
this category.
Not covered. Optional for insurer to include.
*Prices updated March 2024, in line with Finder's
database of health insurance policies. Prices are based
on a single individual with less than $93,000 income and
living in Sydney with a $750 excess.
What extras cover do you need? (Optional)
Select as many as you want or move to the next step
Preventative & general dental
Major dental & implants
Optical
Physiotherapy
Podiatry
Non-PBS pharmaceuticals
Chiropractic
Emergency ambulance
Remedial massage
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Comparing quotes from 30+ funds...
What causes varicose veins?
Varicose veins occur when valves in your veins are weakened or damaged. There are a number of reasons people develop varicose veins.
Age: Many people develop varicose veins with age, as the veins that regulate blood flow deteriorate. There's little you can do to prevent it.
Gender: Women are more likely to develop varicose veins, often during pregnancy or menopause. Hormone treatments like the pill may also contribute.
Genetics: It's possible varicose veins are hereditary, so you may have genes that increase your change of developing them.
Health: A poor diet, smoking and obesity can increase your risk or varicose veins. It's also important you don't sit and stand still for long periods of time.
Treatment options for varicose veins vary depending on severity but may include lifestyle changes, the use of compression stockings or a range of surgical treatments.
How much does varicose vein treatment cost?
The cost of varicose vein treatment - without health insurance or Medicare coverage - depends on your symptoms. Start by speaking to your GP, who should then refer you to a specialist. The specialist is best placed to outline your options. The table below lists come of the cost estimates for varicose vein treatments we've found online.
Treatment
Cost
Note
Consult and scan
Around $300
A small Medicare rebate may be available with a GP referral.
Sclerotherapy
From $500 - $1,200+ per treatment
Moderate to severe varicose veins often require multiple treatments.
Vein Glue
From $2,000 to $3,250+
Generally pain-free, and does not require compression stockings.
Laser treatments
From $3,400 to $10,500+
Several treatment types are available, and their costs will vary.
Compression stocks
Around $110 a pair
These are generally used after another treatment.
How much does health insurance cost?
We ask hundreds of Australians what they're paying for health insurance every month. Here's what they told us in July 2024.
Basic: $99
Bronze: $141
Silver: $183
Gold: $221
Price based on 1,000+ responses for single hospital insurance.
Why you can trust Finder's health insurance experts
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Gary Ross Hunter was an editor at Finder, specialising in insurance. He’s been writing about life, travel, home, car, pet and health insurance for over 6 years and regularly appears as an insurance expert in publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Guardian and news.com.au. Gary holds a Kaplan Tier 2 General Advice General Insurance certification which meets the requirements of ASIC Regulatory Guide 146 (RG146). See full bio
Gary Ross's expertise
Gary Ross has written 725 Finder guides across topics including:
Tim Bennett is a Finder insurance & utilities expert. For over 10 years he's reported on news, politics, finance and other topics as a journalist and radio presenter. Tim's roles have included radio news reader and breakfast at the ABC, news producer for SBS and producer for Fairfax Media. Tim regularly appears as a health insurance expert on programs like Sunrise and SBS news, as well as in the Australian, The Daily Telegraph, The Courier Mail and more. See full bio
Tim's expertise
Tim has written 115 Finder guides across topics including:
There are more than 10,000 prosthetic devices that can be covered through private health insurance. Here's how to identify if you're covered.
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You pay nothing. Finder is free to use. And you pay the same as going direct. No markups, no hidden fees.
You save time. We spend 100s of hours researching health insurance so you can sort the gold from the junk faster.
You can trust us. We say it like it is. We aren't owned by an insurer and our opinions are our own.
