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Health insurance for weight loss surgery
Health insurance for weight loss surgery starts at around $61
a week* with gold-tier hospital policies. It comes with a 12-month waiting period, so it's worth getting sooner rather than later.
The cheapest policies start from around $61
a week*.
Without health insurance, weight loss surgery can cost $20,000 or more.
*Prices are based on a single person living in Sydney earning less than $93,000 per year.
Health insurance that covers weight loss surgery
Here are a few policies from Finder partners that cover weight loss surgery. To see more about great health policies, see our guide to Australia's best health insurance products. All prices are based on a single individual with less than $93,000 income and living in Sydney.
Standard cover (a varied mix of hospital
treatments)
Comprehensive cover for most treatments
Pregnancy and childbirth
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Preventative & general dental
Major dental & implants
Optical
Physiotherapy
Podiatry
Non-PBS pharmaceuticals
Chiropractic
Emergency ambulance
Remedial massage
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What weight loss surgeries are available?
If a physician recommends weight loss surgery, it will usually be one of the following types. To learn more, see our guide to getting weight loss surgery.
Lap band (also called gastric banding)
This is where the surgeon wraps a silicone band around the top portion of your stomach, reducing the amount you can fit in your stomach.
Sleeve gastrectomy
This is where the surgeon reduces the size of your stomach by permanently removing a section of it. Like the lap band, this causes you to feel full quicker and eat less.
Gastric bypass
This is where the surgeon divides your stomach into 2 sections, then connects your small intestine to the smaller of the new stomach sections. This helps you to eat less, absorb fewer calories and react negatively to sugar.
Duodenal switch
The surgeon removes a section of the stomach (as they would with a sleeve gastrectomy) and then relocates the bottom of the stomach further down the small intestine. Like the gastric bypass, this procedure causes you to eat less and absorb fewer calories.
Liposuction
In this procedure, the surgeon puts a small tube into your body and sucks the fat out with a vacuum. Liposuction doesn't affect your appetite.
How much does weight loss surgery cost without insurance?
Weight loss surgery costs without insurance differ depending on how much the surgeon, anaesthetist and assistant charges, pathology costs and the type of procedure you undergo. Here's an overview of surgery costs in Australia based on a number of health providers we looked at.
Surgery
Cost
Gastric/Lap band
$10,000 - $20,000
Sleeve gastrectomy
$12,180 - $20,000
Gastric bypass
$16,000 - $18,000
Duodenal switch
$29,000 - $55,000 (average ~$33,000)
Costs sourced from Advanced Surgicare, Central Coast Surgery, Medibank, New Body Specialists and Bariatric Surgery Source.
To help lower these costs, make sure you get the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) number for the type of surgery you require. Don't expect it to significantly lower the costs, though. For example, Item 31575 (sleeve gastrectomy) pays a $663 benefit. Some useful item numbers for weight loss surgery are outlined below.
Surgery
MBS item number
Gastric/lap band
31569
Sleeve gastrectomy
31575
Gastric bypass
31572
Duodenal switch
31581
Reversal of gastric banding/lap band
31584
Can anyone get weight loss surgery?
No, it's not always possible for anyone to get weight loss surgery. This is because it's not always the best course of action for everyone. It also depends on whether you receive treatment through the public system or privately.
Medicare
To be eligible for treatment in the public system (Medicare), you need to have a body mass index (BMI) of at least 35, demonstrate that you've failed using other approaches and you'll have to undergo a psychological evaluation. You'll also have to find a public hospital that will do this sort of treatment, and there are only a few in Australia.
Private health
Private health insurers will require you to have a face-to-face consultation with a physician to determine if the surgery is necessary, and some insurers require you to have a BMI above a specific number. However, these requirements are less restrictive than Medicare and you will have more choice of hospitals.
Cover for weight loss surgery vs weight management
Cover for weight loss surgery
You'll only find health insurance for weight loss surgery with a gold-tier hospital policy. If you're not already on one, you'll want to get on one soon because there will be a waiting period, usually around 12 months.
Cover for weight management
Many extras policies cover weight management programs such as fitness classes, money off gym memberships and nutritional consulting programs such as WW (previously Weight Watchers) and Jenny Craig. This can give you a chance to learn new wellness habits pre-surgery or, in some cases, avoid having surgery altogether. Waiting periods are a lot shorter – usually around 2 months.
Why you can trust Finder's health insurance experts
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Unlike other comparison sites, we're not owned by an insurer. That means our opinions are our own and you can compare nearly every health fund in Australia on the site (and find a better deal).
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Since 2014, we've helped 350,000+ people find health insurance by explaining your options simply. We'll never ask for your number or email to see prices. We're here to help you make a decision.
Frequently asked questions about weight loss surgery
Out of 85 policies in our database that cover weight loss surgery, St. Lukes offered the cheapest policy at around $152 per month.
Yes, it's a legal requirement in Australia for all gold-tier hospital policies to cover weight loss surgery. There aren't any lower-tier policies that cover weight loss surgery, according to our health insurance engine.
Yes. Medicare can cover weight loss surgery, but only if it's deemed medically necessary and you meet specific requirements (for example, you have a BMI of at least 35). You also won't be approved until you meet with a physician for an in-depth, face-to-face consultation.
Technically, yes. Medicare can cover weight loss surgery if it's considered medically necessary. However, there may still be some out of pocket expenses if at any time you need to be treated at a private clinic.
In Australia, weight loss surgery can cost as much as $20,000 without insurance. In some cases, depending on the type of surgery you receive, it can cost even more.
Yes. You will have to hold health insurance that covers weight loss surgery for 12 months before you are covered. It's included with all gold-level hospital policies.
No, health insurance will not cover the cost of ozempic use for weight loss reasons.
Gary Ross Hunter is 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).
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